


Children Are Poor Man's Riches

by Zunda



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Alastor's human form is based of the one in Viewtiful Joe series (non henshin version), Alternate Universe, Baby Nero, Ch.4: DMC4 AU, Ch.5: DMC5 AU part1, Dante occasionally lost his temper, Gen, Post DMC2, additional tags to be added as i go, adoptive father Dante, post DMC anime, post DMC1, slight Dante/Trish hinted? sorta
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-01-12 18:18:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 25,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18452024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zunda/pseuds/Zunda
Summary: AU where Dante's the one who found and raises Nero.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> so... I was watching my 1yo niece playing then my brain slipped and this happened 8D
> 
> (I didn't describe Morrison's outer appearance in this fic, so feel free to imagine whether he's the one in the anime or in the DMC5 game) C:

"There's a rumor of a demon childー" Of Morrison's words, Dante's glares couldn't be sharper as his gaze locked onto his trustful confidant. It was almost scary. Thankfully good ol' Morrison was used to it. "ーin an island city known as Fortuna."   
  
"Fortuna?" Dante's expression slightly softens, raising an eyebrow at the unfamiliar name.   
  
"It's an island, a militant-religion capital which has long been isolated from the outside world," Morrison replied, "Well, long story short, basically every single residence there worships Sparda - _your father_ \- as if he's an almighty God!"   
  
"Sparda? A god?" Dante snorted, "A demon? As a god? Are you telling me they are worshipping my demon-father as a godly celestial-being?" He threw his hand up, has to express that not twice but thrice because he simply finds it too ridiculous to be true.   
  
"You don't say," The older man chuckled, a pause, then a sigh, "Back to the point; an orphaned boy was seen there. Barely able to walk, more or less a year old, yet something non-human was starting to form in his right hand. Fingers were glowing faintly blue, or so they said." Dante simply replied with a snorting exhale of air through his nostril. If anything, it sounds more like some silly hoax news. Morrison continues while brushing his mustache with a hand, "Now, here's the problem. Worshipping the legendary Sparda aside, no one wants to raise a living demon baby..."   
  
"...Your point is?"   
  
"A job request to _'take care'_ of it."   
  
Dante expression hardened once again, he had expected that but it still slightly fazed him when Morrison put it into words like that. "Not wanting to dirty their own hands, I see." Dante rested his back against the seat's backrest and flung his feet up to the table. Morrison merely nodded.   
  
"Whether you want to accept the job or not is your call, Dante." He added as he pushed a name card onto the desk toward Dante before eventually retreating out of Devil May Cry. The shop became quiet now he's alone, bar the street noise that's leaking in from the outside and the occasional creaking sound from his seat when he shifted his table-top legs. Dante stares at the card listed with the address for a solid minute before exhaled out a heavy sigh and stood back up to his feet. "Time for work..." He murmured to himself. Truth to be told, he needed the money to pay for the bills. Beggers can't be choosers. It should just be another demon extermination, shouldn't be that hard, right? 

   
  
The next day, Morrison arranged a chartered speed boat for Dante to reach Fortuna. With the island known to forbid guns, and not wanting to take the risk of Dante waltzing around with large demonic-looking weapon straps on his back (Putting one inside a music instrument carrier will still make him unnecessary standout too). Dante left with no choice but to only brought Alastor along. The lightning Devil Arm was chosen because he could take - _transforms into_ \- a human form, thus allowing Dante to have his weapon literally following him around. Sure his target was said to be only a wee baby, but better safe than sorry.   
  
The Blade-master Alastor took the form of a man in black priest outfit and zagged, slicked back hair. An appearance perfect for the job; a priest presents will be convincing enough to the clients if they want to get rid of a demon. Yet, Dante immediately regrets taking that living Devil Arm who has a chatty mouth too large for its own good; literally couldn't stop complaining about how long and bumpy their boat ride was. There was a moment where Dante had wanted to chuck him into the ocean just to shut him up.  
  
Once they arrived at the medieval island in question the following morning, the dawning sky barely paints the dark night sky with a soft light. The city was calm at this hour and Dante's trademark red coat stood out from the washed out buildings' colors and background scenery as they stroll through it. With the priorly given map in hand, Dante went straight to the designated place with Alastor closely in tow. It's a small orphanage with white, two-floored simple building and an average size yard. With the quietness in the area, all the kids in the orphanage should still in bed at the moment, cluelessly snoozing away in their dream.    
  
"Thank goodness, you are here!!" Exclaimed the Sisters who have been waiting for him, immediately grab Dante by the arms, pulling him inside. Alastor waved at Dante as he decided to waits outside.   
  
"He... Itー it's over there!" She pushed Dante forward and into a room, the light was still off and barely lidded by the soft yellow hue of the sun rising. The room barely has furniture or even a proper bed, just a worn-down kid-size mattress on the floor, a plush or two, and a small rubber ball. It was clear they are discriminating and isolating the kid who's yet able to take care nor defense himself. In the middle of the room, sits a lone boy who happily playing by himself, rolling the rubber ball away from himself, then crawls to pick it up and rolls it away again. His hair has yet to be fully grown into his head but it was obvious they are silverish-white in color, just like the very demon slayer himself. "Grab him elsewhere and take care of it, yes?"   
  
"...What's his name?" Dante asked those sisters who are still peeking in from outside the room.   
  
"A mo-monster doesn't need a name!!" One of them replied, almost hysteria in her tone.   
  
Dante scoffed. _Geesh how desperate are these people?_ He thought to himself, _it's just a kid, relax_. He stepped into the baby room then and the boy looked up at him, cluelessly waving at him and giving the demon slayer possibly the biggest and the most innocent smile Dante had ever seen. His expression soured. Part of him kind of regretted taking this job but it's too late now that he's here, directly in front of his target so small and defenseless. He grabbed the rubber ball nearby and crouched down to be closer to the boy's height. "...wanna go play ball outside, lil' one?"   
  
The boy giggled and gave the older man a small nod. Dante picked him up between his arms and the Sisters scrambled away from the door the moment he marched out of the room and straight to the front door. Alastor takes a peek at the boy as Dante stepped out of the orphanage building and sticks his tongue out in disgust, "Ew... a baby, _gross._ " Dante rolled his eyes away at the unnecessary comment.   
  
"...Consider it done." Dante said over his shoulder toward his clients, his tone flat yet cold, taking his steps further and further away from the orphanage area with Alastor closely trailing behind until the building couldn't be seen anymore.   
  
The boy slightly shudders at the cold morning wind and Dante has to tuck him closer. Why he does that, he wasn't sure himself. Why did he bother to keep someone, _something_ , which will be slain soon, warm? Once he was sure no one's around, Dante crouched down and settled the boy to the ground and studies him closer. For a kid of a year old, he looks small, fragile, and underweight. Dante gently holds his right hand up, the fingersー no, claws are starting to form instead of nails, and they are indeed glowing faintly blue. The fingerpads are rough to be touched too; a kid this age shouldn't have skin this rugged. He checked him around, there's no bruise nor visible injury or scars. Although he wasn't sure whether it really wasn't there, or it has been perfectly healed thanks to his demonic power. The boy ticklishly giggled as his palm hand being poked at and a sheepish smile formed on Dante's face.   
  
"Hmm... I could senses a demon power in him alright," Alastor leaned closer to take a peek at the boy over Dante's shoulder, confirming the demon slayer's doubt although no visible reaction from Dante himself, merely letting the boy sits on the ground while squishing his favorite rubber ball with those small hands.  
  
As much as he had hoped he's wrong, the boy _is_ a demon, or at least, partially. With a heavy heart, he stretched his right arm out to the side and Alastor instantly reverts back to his sword form as commanded. Dante held the large sword up. _One swing_. One easy slash down from the sword and that small, fragile life in front of him will be no more. The boy is simply just another demon. Or unlucky enough to be possessed by one. He has slain more demons than he could count, disposing a demon's youngling should be as easy as taking candy from a human baby, if not way easier, butー  
  
_Dante was hesitating._    
  
Alastor waits and waits... Minutes passed and the sun has also properly poked itself out of the horizon, enveloping the area with warm light but Dante had yet to move a muscle. _Well?_  The sword eventually asked back, his voice resonates inside Dante's mind. _I can do the honor for you if you can't make up your mind._ Dante gave the thunder sword a glare sharper than the blade itself and Alastor immediately apologize.  _Okay, okay, you are the boss after_ _all, take your time or whatever!_  
  
The boy eventually turned to look back at Dante, tilting his head and innocently stares at Dante whose expression seems to be in pain. With shaky legs, he pushed himself up, ignoring the sword held high above them and clumsily pattered toward Dante, softly patting him on the face with his left hand.   
  
_"Uh-K?"_ the boy worryingly asked despite not able to speaks properly yet.   
  
Dante looked back at him in the eyes and only then he realized those gentle, beautiful eyes with a way too familiar hue of blue. It feels like his brother is staring deep into his soul once again after all these years, as if... Vergil has been reincarnated as this boy. He allows Alastor to slips from his hand and leaned forward to holds the boy, gently clutching him close to his chest with both hands. The boy looks at Dante in slight confusion but allowing the stranger to motionlessly hugs him nonetheless. He stretched his lil' hand up again and pats those wet cheeks in an attempt to comfort the older man.  
  
Alastor transformed into his human form once again and took a few steps back and away from his master and the boy as he waits, keeping his mouth shut this time. The Blade-master opened his palm hand and a diary book popped out in the air and rested on his opened hand. Alastor eyes those half-demons pair as he turns the page all the way to a blank page and starts writing something on it.   
  
_Well, as what Dante himself once said_ , he wrote in amusement, _devil may cry, too._  

 

   
  
It hasn't been a week since Dante returned to the Devil May Cry but news sure travels fast when you are friend with Morrison. At the news of Dante bringing a kid home, Trish and Lady immediately returned to the shop to take a glimpse of the boy in question, swarming and cooing at the toddler. "Look at those cute, pinkish cheeks!!" Lady squeals, gently poking the cheek.   
  
"Indeed!" Trish chuckled then turned to look at Dante whose upper body and face laid flat atop the desk. "In contrary, you look pale."   
  
"Being a single father is hard, darling..." he weakly groaned with his face still planted on the desk. Trish raised an eyebrow, didn't expect Dante would refer himself as the parent for this boy.  
  
"So, what's his name?" Lady asked. Trish too waits for his answer. Dante pondered it for a moment before replying them with a short reply ofー  
  
_"Nero."_  
  
Trish eyed the demon slayer again with an arched eyebrow. During those time back in Mallet island, she has had witness Dante fought all those strong demons all the way before facing off with Mundus. Among them, she remembers those fights of Dante with a demon-knight named Nelo( _'Nero'_ )-Angelo. It was a long, harsh fight to the point Trish could say Dante struggled more with that said demon than the showdown with Mundus himself.   
  
On the night where they had successfully escaped the crumbling island and returned to the shop, he found Dante sitting on the couch while clutching at an amulet in silence. She merely gave a glimpse toward the beautiful red-gemmed amulet, and Dante starts telling her a story out of blue, possibly because he has no one to turn to, and wanting to let his feeling known before it wore him down.   
  
From there, Trish learns how Dante missed his twin brother dearly despite how often they bickered back in their younger days when their mother was still alive. He regretted for not be able to rescue Vergil when the older twin flung himself into the depth of hell. And when he eventually reunited with him again - as Nelo Angelo - a decade later since the Temen-ni-Gru incident, he was forced to finish him off in Mallet island, all because of Mundus had corrupted his whole body and soul. Trish sat with him that whole night, allowing him to lean on her shoulder; the demon slayer, the son of the legendary dark knight Sparda, the one who actually beats Mundus once and for all, was silently weeping over the loss of his brother.   
  
"Nero, eh?" Lady's voice snapped Trish out of her thought. Lady's expression was skeptical as she looks down at the boy who's playfully clutching at her finger. Must have found the name too weird in her opinion. Besides, a name with the meaning _'Black'_ doesn't actually fit a boy with clear blue eyes, silvery white hair, and fair skin.   
  
"It's a good name though, has a nice ring to it," Trish added with a smile, gently petting the boy who giggled back. It was the least she could do in respect for Dante's feeling over his long gone twin brother. "Easy to remember too, right, Dante?"

The half-demon himself merely flashed a small but satisfied smile, indirectly thanks her for agreeing with him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welp I know Nero & Nelo Angelo (or Nero Angero when written in Japanese katakana) name similarity is a coincidence in canon, but this is an AU and you can't stop me. (๑و•̀ω•́)و 
> 
> not sure how overused this AU is before??? but meh whatever~ 
> 
>  
> 
> (also, Capcom, where's my Viewtiful Joe game series remakes? or the sequels? or both??)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> multiple short stories of Dante & kid Nero's everyday life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The DMC series has a very questionable timeline & age for the charas, but for the sake of my sanity & the fic, here's how the AU timeline & their age will be: 
> 
> > When the twin lost his mother: Dante/Vergil = 10 
> 
> > DMC3 game: Dante/Vergil = 19 | Lady = 16
> 
> > DMC1 game: Dante/Vergil = 29 | Lady = 26  
> * Vergil (Nelo Angelo) somewhat survived Mallet island & drifted to Fortuna; Nero conceived somewhere in this time & then Vergil disappears to who knows where.
> 
> > DMC anime: Dante/Vergil = 30 | Lady = 27 | Nero = 0/newborn
> 
> > AU chapter 1: Dante/Vergil = 31 | Lady = 28 | Nero = 1
> 
> > AU chapter 2 (at the end part): Dante/Vergil = 34 | Lady 31 | Nero = 4
> 
> I didn't list up Trish's age because she's a demon, who could either be hundreds year old or literally 2 days old (lmao) when she first made her first appearance in the DMC1 game, so yeah...
> 
>  
> 
> (will add more to the timeline as I go with the chapters)  
> I also spent too much time on this smh

 

With a new family of such young age entering his life, and despite Dante claimed he's fine all by himself, the girls or even Morrison often step into the Devil May Cry only to find Dante snoring on the couch (or occasionally, on the floor) with Nero napping atop his chest, drooling all over Dante's outfit while so. Thankfully, they have learned to not disturb their nap and wait until either of them is awake; unless it was a really urgent matter. And even so, unless there's someone who could take care of Nero, Dante has no choice but to refuse the job offer, for Trish and Lady, even Morrison himself included, sometimes couldn't be here for the boy 24/7. Leaving the broker no choice but to entrust most of those jobs to Trish and/or Lady for now.   
  
Raising a kid all by himself wasn't easy for Dante and he was grateful he has the stamina of a demon otherwise he might have long collapsed from exhaustion. There were times where lil' Nero cries for hours straight during the night, especially when Dante notices those glowing demonic skins starting to slowly but surely growing on the kid's hand- might be the reason why he's wailing. It doesn't seem to hurt the boy, although it seems to be uncomfortable with those rough skin slowly taking over the small, fragile hand of a toddler. Easily put, it's like a teething human baby; those won't actually hurt them but will often cause a soring discomfort and causing them to be restless at night. Nonetheless, Dante will always be up and by his side every time, cuddling him as long until the boy calmed down or fell asleep from fatigue due to all those crying. 

  
  
Unknowingly to the demon slayer himself, who every once in a while will pass out from exhaustion, Alastor would secretly take his place in looking after Nero. Some other Devil Arms, like Nevans, will occasionally join him too. Can't deny they are curious with this boy who has a demon's blood running in him.  
  
"You are one handsome looking fella indeed," Nevan cooed as he picked the boy up and spun him around. Nero, now used to their presence, happily giggled at the demon-lady who's holding him high up in the air. "Bet you'll grow up to be as handsome as Sparda! Oh yes, you so will!!"  
  
"Hey, hands off the brat, witch!!" Alastor barked, snatching Nero off Nevan's hands before allowing the boy to roams around the first floor of Devil May Cry while they closely watch him while Dante passed out on the couch. "I can't believe I'm actually taking care of a stupid brat!" Alastor huffed despite dreamily looking at the boy with a content smile. Nevan glares at him from the corner of her eyes, scoffing "Yeah, _right_..." to the proud spirit of the Thunder-blade sword.  
  
"Are you sure that thing is not Dante's son?" Nevan eventually asked, "You know, one-time fling thing?" She pointed her claw at their sleeping master, "The boy looks too much like like  _that_  snoring son-of-Sparda." She breathed out a long sigh, "He'd be gorgeous if he's not snoring like that."   
  
"Beats me!" Alastor shrugged, ignoring her last bit of complaint about Dante. "You have stayed longer with him though, did he ever visit an island called Fortuna? We found the kid there."   
  
"The kid is barely a year old in human years, you have been with us for more than that too!" Nevan crossed her arms, although she did ponder over it for a moment before shrugging as well. "Can't remember. Nor ever heard of that place, I should remember something if that island worships the all-handsome Sparda!"   
  
"The all-handsome, huh?" Alastor eyed her for proclaiming Sparda as the all-handsome when the others always referring the legendary dark knight as the almighty.  _Girls will always be girls._    
  
"Say... Aren't you always keep a diary or something like that?" Nevan spoke up, earning another glance from Alastor, "Is it dear to you?"  
  
"...Yeah. So what? I'm not lending it to you!"   
  
"Oh please, I'm not interested in your ugly handwriting!" She scoffed, "The boy gets a hold on your beloved diary though."   
  
At that, Alastor turned his head so fast it probably would break his neck if he's not a demon. Just as Nevan had pointed out, Nero has indeed got a hold of his precious diary... ripping the book out page by page. Alastor almost screeched at that,  _almost_ , can't risk Dante waking up. With a literal lightning fast speed, he zoomed in at the boy, snatched the scattered pages around the floor and the book itself away from Nero and returned to Nevan's side in a blink of an eye. It was happening so fast, Nero couldn't even grasp what was happening, all he realize was the book in his lil' hands is now gone. He glances left and right in search of it but no avail.   
  
_"Oh no..."_  Nevan stood up at the sight of the boy's face soured and turning red, "He's going to cry; good luck!!" She said and immediately revert back to her weapon form - hanging on the wall like a good wall-decoration along with the other Devil Arms. If the boy's going to cry, Dante would definitely wake up from his slumber and she doesn't want to be in the path of his wrath if he ever found out why the boy is crying.   
  
_"Holy shiー"_  Alastor was in a panic himself. Torn between trying to calm the boy who has started to softly sobs, or flees the scene and pretends as if nothing happened just like Nevan. The panic level spiked when he heard Dante's weak groan on the verge of waking up. He grabs the sobbing boy and carefully placed him atop Dante's chest before returning to the wall as a weapon like the others.   
  
The room turned silence with the exception of the soft sobbing. Dante slowly woke up, blinked at the sight of the boy's teary eyes. It always hurt him in the inside whenever he sees Nero cries. "What's wrong, my boy, bad dream?"   
  
Nero shook his head,  _"Wan!"_  he said, still unable to pronounce words properly.   
  
Dante tucked him close, allowing Nero to lay and snuggle on his chest, rubbing all those tears and snots over his outfit. Nero has always been one who cries softly. The demon slayer has never heard him crying out loud, not when he's in discomfort, or even when he's in pain, like when he tripped over his own lil' feet and falls face first to the floor with a loud thud (and almost gave Dante a heart attack). Nero simply always keeps his crying voice down. The elder wasn't sure whether because he naturally cries like that, or somewhere in his still early life, he was abused for crying out loud... Dante shook his head, trying not to think about it too much.   
  
"What do you want, sweetheart?" He eventually asked, giving the boy gentle pets of assurance.   
  
_"Wana!!"_  was all he could say and convey. The elder sighed, he only knows the boy wanted something, but he couldn't guess what he really wants.   
  
"Okay, okay, let's go get it, yeah?" Dante softly smiled at him, gently wiping the tears off the boy's cheeks with his finger, then firmly holds him up in his arms and rose from the couch.   
  
_"Wans!!!"_  Nero pointed at the collection of Dante's weapons on the wall.   
  
"You want the Devil Arms?" Dante chuckled in amusement, earning an eager nod from the teary-eyed boy, "Oh Nero, they are still too big and heavy for you!" Dante chuckled, "Let's go find something your size, yeah?" Nero pouted but eventually agreed with Dante suggestion, replying with a short  _"K..."_  at the demon slayer.   
  
Dante carries the boy back to his room on the second floor and retreated back to their bedroom. Alastor dropped down from the wall with a thud, another silent moment as he makes sure Dante doesn't come back out, then reverts to the humanoid form once again, breathing out the heaviest sigh one could ever imagine. Cold sweats running down his spines, and he pats his own chest to calm his racing heart down, "Good lord I thought I'm going to die!!?"  
  


  
In less than half a year after Nero being in Dante's care. Trish decided to stay with Dante for good when she and Lady find the demon slayer way too overwhelmed despite the man's denial of it. That day, the girls found Nero turning the volume control knob of the jukebox left and right, repeatedly blasting and silencing the loud music at whim... and Dante actually slept through it despite Nero sometimes turned the volume to the absolute max. It simply shows how tired the demon slayer was; pathetically sleeping face down on the wooden floor of Devil May Cry from exhaustion while the kid happily wrecked the room apart, pushing and pulling whatever items he could grab and scattered them throughout the floor, some were even carefully placed atop passed out Dante by Nero himself. They were at least relieved (for now) that the boy is not tall enough (yet) to actually grab any of those weapons which decorated the wall.   
  
Even with Trish around to help him, Dante still pushes himself to the limit; genuinely worried about the boy more than he probably should. Always first to be there for him. Trish occasionally spots Alastor playing with Nero on the floor down below, thinking no one is watching him as Dante snoozed on the couch yet again. Trish decided to pretend she's not seeing anything, simply watch them quietly from the second floor. As long as the kid is happy and it lessens Dante's worry and workload, she's fine with the Devil Arm accompanying the boy.   
  
Hardship aside, Trish herself genuinely enjoying the time with Dante and the kid. It contents and amuses her just to watch Nero energetically roams the first floor of Devil May  Cry, every day without bored, and Dante trailing closely behind, constantly ready to dive and catch the boy if he's going to trip himself; always roams behind the kid like a father emperor penguin watching over his chick.   
  


  
Another couple of years went by, Nero has grown from a toddler to become one energetic kid, the light-blue scales which originally only covered Nero's fingertips, have grown all the way to almost covering his whole palm hand, with additional tougher brownish hide protecting his knuckles. And judging from the condition, it will likely grow over the wrist too... could reach all the way to the shoulder, or even his whole body if let be. Dante nor the girls have the slightest idea how to prevent those demonic hand to grow and take over the boy's arm. Not even Morrison and his resourcefulness of information could help with a case such rare.   
  
"Aunty!!" At the sight of Lady entering the Devil May Cry, the now four-year-old innocently called and pitter-pattered over to her, stretching his arms out, "Hug??"  
  
_"Auntー!!?"_  Lady chocked, her soured expression was clear that she's hurt for being called like that; an unwanted reminder that she's somewhere near Dante's age. The half-demon himself shamelessly snorted a giggle at her reaction. Lady crouched down to pick the boy up and held him in her arms, "How about  _'Big sis'_  instead of aunty, yeah?" The boy looks at her, scanning Lady top to bottom before hugging her tight, innocently giggling, "Aunty is Aunty, you silly!" At that, Lady couldn't help but to hugs the boy back, "...Why you have to be so cute!!!" she exclaimed, "I can never get mad at you!"   
  
Dante grinned and teasingly called her  _"Auntie"_ from his position behind the desk, which earned him a middle finger from Lady when Nero's not looking.  
  
"Consider yourself lucky," Trish huffed as she walked in from the kitchen, crossing her arms and jerking her chin toward Dante, "The boy called me  _'Grandma'_ just because I look like this man's dear mom!!"   
  
"Not my fault, gorgeous!" Dante mused, picking the last remaining slice of pizza from the box, "You have Mundus for all the blame for bestowing such beauty to your form!"  
  
"Hah,  _smooth!!_ " Trish leaned forward and snatched the pizza away from Dante's hand. The man pouted at the sight of his favorite meal taken away from his hand. He shrugged in the end and rested his back against the backrest with a huff and feet back on top the desk; not worth arguing with Trish over it.  
  
"Wanna play hide and seek?!" Nero suddenly suggested, waving his arms happily.   
  
"Sure," Lady smiled, lowering the boy back to the floor, "You go hide and I'll count, yeah?"   
  
Nero eagerly nodded and Lady turned her back around to starts counting. The boy immediately made his way toward Dante who's behind his favorite desk with both feet up on the table, like usual. Nero crawled and hides under the desk. The demon slayer gave him a raised eyebrow. Giggling, the boy's finger put over his mouth as an indication for the older man to keep his hiding place a secret. Dante grinned, giving the boy a thumb up.   
  
"ーand here I come!" Lady eventually spoke up, turning her body back around. "Well, well, whereー areー youー?" Lady peeked under the couch, behind the jukebox, places which are obviously possible to hide in. They all know where Nero's favorite hiding spot is (not there are many places to hide in the first floor of the shop) but Lady deliberately steps further away from the desk for the sake of having fun and prolonging the game further. And when she eventually moves closed toward the desk, she simply stops near and behind Dante's seat, at a position where Nero could see her feet, but moved on without actually peeking down under the table. Nero couldn't help but trying to hold down his giggling when he saw Lady walked by his hiding spot.   
  
It went on for more than half an hour before Lady "give up" in finding him and the boy crawled out of his hiding place, excitingly proclaimed he wins. Lady approached Nero and held him high in the air, "Of course you are!" She added, "You are one awesome kid, master of hide-and-seek!"   
  
"I'll also be the best demon slayer ever, like Dan-dy!!!"   
  
"... _Dan-dy??_ " Lady paused and turned to look at Dante, demanding an answer from him but Dante merely grinned like a very proud parent.   
  
"Dante-daddy, aka _Dan-dy_ ," Trish answered at Lady's look of confusion. Lady snorted and her forehead furrowed but eventually shrugged it off, if Nero wants to call Dante like that, so be it. Lady herself deemed it unnecessary to says something to the boy about him calling Dante like that, the kid will probably get embarrassed himself when he's older after all.   
  
A sudden phone ring interrupts them and Nero's finger immediately points at the ringing phone atop the desk, excitingly shouts "Devil! May! Cry!!"  
  
"Exactly, my boy!" Dante chuckled, picking the phone up, answering the call with their trademark _"Devil may cry!"_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> playing with the sound volume control is my niece's favorite fun time, and I kinda want to include it in the story for kid!Nero X'D


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last part of kid-to-teen Nero and Dante's short story compilation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of timeline for the character's age in this chapter:   
> > Dante/Vergil = 36 | Lady = 33 | Nero = 6   
> > Dante/Vergil = 40 | Lady = 37 | Nero = 10   
> > Dante/Vergil = 44 | Lady = 41 | Nero = 14 | Nico = 17   
> > Dante/Vergil = 49 | Lady = 46 | Nero = 19 | Nico = 22

Nero blinked awake and stares at the ceiling of the heavily dimmed bedroom. The 6-year-old boy quietly sat up, rubbing his eyes and allowing them to get used to the darkness. After a moment, he carefully hops down the bed. His faintly glowing right arm also functions as a light to guide himself toward the door. Nero stretches his lil' hand up to turn the doorknobs before peeking out of his room.   
  
The hallway of the second floor's barely lit as well. He steps out his room and peeks down through the wooden bars of their second floor. Dante nor Trish are anywhere to be seen on the first floor. It's late although he has no idea what's the exact time at the moment. He looked to the right, where Dante's room located, just beside his. Ten steps away at most. Nero pressed his lips together as he ponders over his option. Not actually afraid of the dark, considering his family is experts in slaying demons and he himself familiar with those Devil Arms decorating the wall. Still, he quickly paced toward Dante's bedroom and gently turned the knob. The main light is off but the bedside's lamp is still on... and the sight of the adults immediately entered his eyes. Both naked, with Dante atop Trish.  
  
"Um..." The boy cleared his throat, causing both elders to jump in surprise.  
  
"Nー Nero!!?" Dante stuttered, almost choked on his own word. Trish calmly uses the blanket to cover herself whiĺe Dante hoped down from the opposite side of the bed to grab his pants from the floor. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" He asked through the shoulder as he puts his pants on.   
  
"I need... to go to the bathroom..." he shyly said.   
  
"Bathroom! Bathroom, of course!" Dante awkwardly said and approached the boy, "Come, boy, good ol' Dante wilĺ kicks any monsters who dare to scare you!" Lil' Nero giggles, happily hold onto the man's hand.  
  
"I'll go ahead and rest first," Trish yawned and flopped her head to the pillow and shifted her body around for comfort.  
  
"Be my guess."   
  
"Nite nite!" Nero added with a smile and earned a lazy wave from the she-demon. Once the door closed behind them, the boy opened his mouth again, "Why were you and grandma naked back then?"   
  
Dante choked at such innocent question and Trish herself chuckled in amusement for she too could hear what was asked just now.   
  
"Well, it's hot soー"   
  
"In the middle of winter...?"   
  
"We're... uh... I'll tell you when you're older!" was Dante's best reply in order to dodge the question.   
  
"Promise?"  
  
Dante looked at the boy whose fingers firmly hold onto his hand and look up at him with puppy's eyes all at the same time. The elder gave him an awkward, sheepish smile and a nod. Dante internally sighed, the day where he has to explain to Nero about sex ed. will be extremely awkward. At least, that's another story for another decade.   
  
  
  
Time passes.

On one quiet night, the now 10-year-old boy awakened again. He sat up on the bed as the train of thoughts ran through him. Had nightmares? Nope. Bathroom? Not that as well for sure. Like before, he hopped out of the bed and peeked out of the room. The light's unusually still on at this hour. Trish has been away for a couple of days now. Nothing unusual as she's a free-spirited individual and often out for ahunt every now and then, unlike Dante who merely sits behind his desk and lazily waits for a job request to comes to him.   
  
Nero glanced down from the second floor. Dante could be spotted nodding off on his favorite seat. The boy padded toward the top end of the stairs leading to the first floor, peeking at the snoozing demon slayer once again. The elder seems to occasionally grunt in his slumber as if he's having a hard time breathing, or having a nightmare, or both. Nero tilted his head, both curious and worry over the man's condition.   
  
"First time seeing him like that?"   
  
Nero looked to the left where the familiar male voice came. It was Alastor, and also Nevan who stood to the left side of the said Blademaster; both in their humanoid form. Alastor crouched beside the boy as they stare down at Dante from the stairs. Nero gave him a small nod.   
  
"He might be all-smile, laidback, and lazy like that, but for a time ー before you entered his life ー that man wasn't like this," Nevan softly explained, voice low, not taking the risk of waking the demon slayer up.   
  
"Yeah, he even went off to this Dumb-whatever island  _without_  me! Can you even believe that!??" Alastor huffed a complaint. Nevan glares at him for the out of the blue rant that has nothing to do with the current situation.   
  
"Dan-dy said you tried to follow him and got lost at somewhere bizarre instead though."   
  
"Whaー That's, that's none of your business!" Alastor pouted in embarrassment.  
  
"You two sure love Dan-dy, aren't you?" Nero smiled at them. Alastor blushes hard.   
  
"I do," Nevan smirked in confident. "I'll _kiss_ him any momentー if I could!"   
  
"Hah!  _Love??_  No, he's simply the only man who's worthy enough to hold  _me!_ " Alastor crossed his arms and puffed his chest up to assert an act of dominance. Nevan rolled her eyes away while Nero simply giggles at him.   
  
They got quiet then. Staring down at Dante below.   
  
"He looks like he's in so much pain..." Nero added with a saddened expression.   
  
Alastor and Nevan exchange look. They weren't sure whether Dante wishes for the boy to learn and see him at his weakest moment. Nevan was reluctant but Alastor opened his mouth anyway, the kid  _is_ part of Dante'sー their life now, the boy deserves to learn the truth and the Blademaster deemed him old enough to grasp the situation.   
  
"Not long after we left Mallet island, Dante changed. He barely talks, always frowning, and not even once he smiled, not even with Trish by his side."    
  
"But why?" Nero asked back, what Alastor described just now was too far off from the man he knows.   
  
"Just say... someone dear to him died there, in Mallet island a decade ago."   
  
"That's so sad..." Nero frowned, heartbroken at the reply.   
  
"Go to his side, kid," Alastor gently patted him for encouragement. "He'll love to see your face," Nevan added with a smile. Both Devil Arms hover down and return to the wall where their weapon-form rests.   
  
 _And don't tell him I tell you that!_ was the last telepathic message Alastor gave the boy before the shop turns all silent again. Not even a single sound from the street, with the exception of the sound of rough breathing from Dante every now and then. Nero slowly walked down the stairs, eyes never left the man. Once he's by his side, Dante grunts in his sleep once again.   
  
"Dan-dy...?" he softly calls, hands gently tap at Dante's arm.   
  
At the touch, Dante snapped awake. Nero jumped at that and took a step away, tucking his own arms close to his body. The elder breathing's fast. Eyes forward and wide yet unfocused, staring into the nothingness of the front door.   
  
"Are you okay...?" Nero asked, warily approaches the demon slayer once again.   
  
"Nero...?!" As being snapped out of his trench, Dante's expression slightly softens at the sight of the boy. "Did I... did I woke you up?" He tiredly asked, buried his face to his palm hands, rubbing the tensed muscles on his face.  
  
Nero shook his head. "You looked like in pain," he said, reaching his hand out to gently touch Dante's face. "Are you having a nightmare...?"  
  
Dante look at him then reverts the gaze elsewhere, couldn't immediately reply the boy, and when he did, he sighed, "...sort of."   
  
"I'll protect you from nightmares!" Nero clings onto the elder. "This time I'll be the one who'll stick to your side no matter what!"   
  
Dante's eyes widen again, didn't expect such gesture nor reply from the kid. This was the first time Dante realized how much the boy has grown. Nero was barely able to walk properly when he first saw him back in the orphanage, and now the boy is mature enough to proclaim he will protect him. Dante smiled widely at the ease and comfort of having Nero in his life.   
  
"Let's go back to sleep yeah?" Dante said, rose to his feet and pick the boy up. Still easily held him with an arm despite how much Nero has grown in size. Well, for the veteran demon slayer, the boy's still lighter than any of those Devil Arms anyway.   
  
Nero nodded in agreement, yawning while rubbing his eyes. "Can I sleep by your side?" He asked, snuggling close to Dante. "So I canー" another yawn, "ーprotect you..."   
  
"Of course, Nero," Dante said with a smile, clutching the boy close. "You are my little hero..." he softly said to himself, almost inaudible, "The light of my life..."   
  
  
  
By the time Nero's reached teenhood, the demonic arm has taken over his arm all the way to the elbow. Tough, brownish-red hide has covered most part of his right arm, bar the fingers, the palm, and a patch at the back of the hand which glows bright fluorescence blue. Growing up looking at Dante's back, the young teen tries to imitate Dante as much as he could, from his hairstyle, all the way to his fashion sense, and how he wished to be a demon slayer like Dante and the girls; which amuses them to no end. Nero indeed looks like a Dante Jr. now.   
  
At around this time, Morrison introduced a girl called Nico to the Devil May Cry crews. Full name Nicoletta Goldstein. An expert crasftswoman despite her young age. Said to be the granddaughter of Neil Goldstein, a legendary gunsmith who customized Dante's beloved Ebony and Ivory decades ago.   
  
"Whoa!! You... are the infamous Dante!" was the first thing she said the moment she's face-to-face with the legendary demon slayer. "C-c-can I..." She stuttered badly at Dante's presence, trying to peek at what behind the demon slayer, "ya know, that th-thing strapped... back there..."   
  
Dante raised an eyebrow, amused. Nonetheless, he pulled Ebony and Ivory out of the socket hidden behind his coat and shows it to her. The girl squeals like an excited high school girl at the sight of their crush. Swooning over the form, the color, and even the smell of the twin handguns. Nero silently stares at her, internally commenting  _'Nerd'_  at the eccentric girl.   
  
In contrary, Nico acts like a completely different person when it comes to Nero. She surprisingly doesn't stutter when talking to him, nor fazed by the sight of the demon arm. The teen soon befriended her who's only slightly older than him, albeit with lots of arguing, but nonetheless, on relatively good term. It was then Nero - subconsciously or not - starts to blurt out and exchanging swears between the teens, especially when their opinions clash.   
  
"Can't get my point across her thick skull otherwise!" was what Nero scoffed in return at Morrison's worry and concern over the teen's foul mouth. Dante himself chuckled, didn't seem to mind much of Nero's newfound habit, amusingly commented at how "He sure has a larger mouth than me back in those days!"    
  
In his request (behind Dante's back) and in exchange of allowing her to study his demonic arm, Nico crafted a set of weapons for Nero, a revolver gun named Blue Rose, and a sword named Red Queen.   
  
"I found the blueprint of this beautyー", she said as she proudly displays the weapon to the crews when she visits the Devil May Cry again, "ーin my asshole-of-a-father's old workshop yep!!"   
  
At this point, it was inevitable.   
  
As much as Dante wishes to keep the boy out of harm, for him to stay away from all this demon-slaying business, they also know it's futile to rein the growing teen with such a rebellious streak. He was soon given a proper training from the Devil May Cry crew. Gun-wielding technique from Lady for there's no better teacher than her when it comes to long-range weaponry. Trish helps him in controlling and using the strength of his right demonic arm. And Dante... well, proof to be a poor teacher material for the only lecture he could give was "Just swings and throws the sword around and you'll be fine!"   
  
Nero has no choice but to develop his own sword mastery. His battle style is rougher and more dependant on raw strength compares to Dante, who seems to able perfectly masters any weapons he laid his hand on. Something the teen secretly envies. Nonetheless, he was one step closer to his idol. Ready and eager to prove himself to his family. To be able to tag along with them in their mission instead of being forced to stay at home.   
  
Despite Nero proves to be a strong individual, able to fares against demons, granted those were merely lesser demons which they secretly tasked (herded) for him, for Dante doesn't want to entrust a difficult mission to him, yet... or ever, if he could help it; constantly worries about the boy's wellbeing.   
  
Nero seems to be able to use the demonic power residing on his right arm so far without any side effect and more than happy to use it ー from eithersummoning a spectral arm against demons, or simply use it to grab a slice of pizza which was feet away from him out of laziness. For now, everything seems to be under control, but for how long? Who knows; and Dante doesn't want to take the risk of exposing the youngster to unnecessary danger.   
  
  
  
Until one evening, Lady visited the Devil May Cry with a job request, one which she's reluctant to share with Nero, yet they have learned it the hard way that the more they try to keep him away from danger, to keep secret for him, the more the teen would recklessly poke his nose into trouble. It was only last year when the teen sneaked out, following them in their mission to hunt demons and badly injured his right shoulder in the process. He was lucky he has a demon's power resides in him which slowly but surely heals himself up right there and then, otherwise, he won't simply get away with just sore shoulder as the aftermath... and a long, hard scolding from Dante and the others.   
  
 _"De orbe of de shord?"_ The now older teen parroted what Lady just said from her briefing with a mouthful of pizza, raised an eyebrow as he directs the question toward Dante by his side.   
  
"Sorry, kiddo, religion and I don't mix." Dante shrugs as he took the last slice of their dinner out of the box, "And don't talk with your mouth full."   
  
"The order of the sword; It's a small congregation that gathers in the castle town of Fortuna," Lady explains, reverting her eyes toward Dante. "So... just how much do you know about Sparda?"   
  
"Well, from what I can figure, there's a lot of confusion surround him," Dante said, paying a side glance toward Trish who has been standing against the wall behind him and Nero, effectively hurling the question toward her, a she-demon who's two peas in a pod with Dante's very own mother ー Sparda's wife. Both Lady and Nero follow his gaze and they too look at the light blonde woman who simply shrugs back while taking a bite on her own slice of pizza.   
  
"The story goes that Sparda served as the feudal lord of the city long ago. The people who live there today take these legends as truth and worship him." Lady continues, reverting her eyes to the guys once again, but especially toward Nero who seems to be the most clueless among them all, "Just like a god."   
  
"They worshipー" Nero took a pause to swallowed his food down, "ーa demon as a god?? That's, that's ridiculous!"  
  
"Tell me about it!" Dante snorted in agreement, taking yet another bite at his half-eaten slice of pizza.   
  
"Peaceful worship can't be condemned; the real problem is the Order." Lady said again, crossing her arms, "Lately they have been running amock, catching demons and even butted in on some of _my_  jobs!"  
   
"Maybe they're starting a zoo!" Dante mused, showing not even the slightest interest at Lady's word of urgency. His dinner is a hundredth time more interesting for him at the moment. Nero giggled at his joke of a reply.   
  
"Not just demons," Lady added, snatching the pizza off Dante's hand. "They've also been targeting Devil Arms!"   
  
"Okay then, a museum." Dante tried to take the pizza back from Lady who simply pulls her hand further away from him. Refusing to return his dinner unless he's willing to listen properly. Dante scoffed, pressed his back against the backrest and flung his legs up atop the desk. "So what?"   
  
"What if their intentions are foul and there's a diabolical plan behind these apparently random acts?" Dante merely raised an eyebrow, still not convinced. Lady sighed and leaned forward, whispering something to Dante's ears.   
  
Nero flinched at how Dante's expression hardened. It was less than a split of a second but those who could sense it, must have felt an intense bloodlust from the demon slayer; it's almost terrifying, even for Nero.   
  
"...Trish!!" Dante called as he immediately rose from his seat.   
  
It was silence.   
  
They all turned toward where Trish stood literally a minute ago. She's nowhere to be seen. The Legendary Sword Sparda which Dante proudly displays behind his seat was gone too. At the wall was a note written with bright red lipstick, saying  _'See you there'._    
  
Dante frowned. He had wanted Trish to accompany the teen at home, to make sure he won't recklessly jump into yet another trouble, but seems like she had bolted out faster, didn't want to miss the fun. Both he and Lady silently exchanged a look. It's obvious Lady's going too, yet they needed him. No, he has to be there too, and thus Dante was left with a small problem ー Nero.   
  
"I want to go too!!" Nero protested, storming close to Dante after being told to stay at home. They have expected he'll react like this. "Why I can't go when you three will!? That's not fair!"   
  
"No, kiddo, it'sー"   
  
"Dangerous??" Nero cut in, "Yeah, right! I can take care of myself, Dante, let meー"   
  
"Listen to me, kid!" Dante demanded, his tone strict. "It'sー" A pause. His lips pressed together and eyes toward the floor as he tries to find a word which will convince the youngster. The word never comes. The veteran eventually breathed out a sigh, "...it's a personal matter."  
  
"But I'mー"  
  
"No buts,  _Nero!_ " Dante said firmly, looking at him straight in the eyes and Nero subconsciously pulled his head back in astonishment. When the elder calls him by his name instead of  _'kid'_  or  _'kiddo'_ , he knows Dante means it and no matter how he throws a fit about it, Dante won't change his mind.   
  
"If you lovingly hug him and call him  _'Dan-dy'_ , he might change his mind!" Lady snickered, teasingly poke at the youngster with her elbow.   
  
"Whoー Who's gonna call him that!??" Nero snapped, blushes painted his whole face for being reminded of his embarrassing kid-self moment.   
  
" _Aww_  but that's what you always call him when you are a wee boy!"   
  
 _"THAT'S ALMOST A DECADE AGO!!"_  
  
"It's decided, Nero," Dante added with a sigh, though his lips formed a gentle smile of nostalgia, patting the youngster's shoulder in assurance. "We'll return ASAP."   
  
The teen's expression soured but says no further, watching Dante stepping out of the shop with Lady in tow, waving goodbye to him before disappears behind the now closed door, leaving Nero behind all by himself.   
  
"Nero?" The following day, Morrison entered the shop and called for the teen, to simply check on him out of habit especially when he knows Dante's out for a mission. It's way past noon, the youngster should long be awake by now. He calls again yet no response once more. Nothing but silence. Resting his hands on the waist, he sighed, "I should have expected that." 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be DMC4-based AU (at last).


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TL;DR: don't hurt the kid when the dad's around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning:  
> most of the boss fight scenes were cut short cause I don't find them /that/ necessary for this fic... besides, if you are reading this, chances are you have played DMC4 yourselves before so you should have known how those fights go in the game haha... >w>;  
>    
> anyway, hope you'll enjoy this AU~  
> ((apologies beforehand if you see any weird wording or grammar mistakes))

 

It wasn't easy to reach the island in the first place. Nero had to bribe Nico just to find a way to reach Fortuna via speed boat, promising her he would bring back souvenirsー in forms of demons' body parts. He disembarked at a shallow patch of beach fortresses by a rocky cliff. He huffed, glancing left and right, doesn't seem to be any other way but up. With a strong kick, he jumped and scaled the cliff with ease; all thanks to his demonic power, and reached the top of the cliff in mere seconds. What laid in front of him, however, is a series of dense forest stretching far and beyond and as far as his eyes could see.   
  
Nero frowned. Did he get off at the worst possible point? Or this is not even the right island? He didn't know but his guts tell him to marched forward nonetheless. There was a moment where he regretted coming here, for it was hot and humid despite the shade provided by the trees.   
  
"...Ugh, where should I go to find them?" He complained from all the sweats, fanning himself with his hand.  
  
A sudden faint noise caught in his ears and he immediately straightened up. The left hand gripped at Red Queen's hilt, ready to strike at any slightest movement or provocation. Eyes scanned around. So far he only heard a faint, distant sound of birds or insects, or breeze blowing through the leaves. Nero stays on alert for another minute, and at the moment he starts to doubt himself, believing he's simply imagining things because of the heat, he heard it again.   
_  
"...Help...!"_  
  
Nero spun around at the direction of the weak voice. That was indeed a voice calling for help, he wasn't imagining things after all. He rushed toward the direction of the sound, dashed through the forest floor as fast as his feet could carry him, revved his sword up as he jumped over the protruding tree roots and ducked under low hanging branches until he reached the end of the trail. A girl has fallen to the ground, with a couple of reptile-like demons circling, growling and hissing at her, ready to attack her at any given second.   
  
"Watch out!!" He yelled, leaping forward and stretched his right arm out, summoning the large, demonic spectral arm out to grab one of the demons, pulled it away from her before slammed it back onto the other demon with force. Before those demons could even grasp what hit them, Nero somersaulted to the air and swung his heavy sword down, more to slamming at the reptilian demons hard than slashing them, crushing the lesser demon's skull and bones with ease. Blood splattered over his face and some toward the girl's beautiful white dress.   
  
"Are you alright?" He asked, panting, wiping the blood off his face with his right hand and stretching his left hand out to help the girl up. She nodded but her gaze couldn't help but to go over her rescuer's right arm. Nero immediately hides it behind his back. "Uhー that's..."   
  
"Are your arm okay?" She softly asked. "Is it hurt?"   
  
"Huh?? Oh no, no, it doesn't...." He stuttered, still tried his best to hide the arm further behind, "I was born with this, or so my ol' man said..." Nero's gaze swam around, slightly blushing. This was the first time someone outside the Devil May Cry who actually give concern over his right arm and not actually terrified of it. "Are you hurt?" He asked again with his left hand still stretched out.   
  
"No, I'm okay..." She replied, slowly stretching her hand out to reach Nero's left hand. The young hunter gently yet firmly pulled her up to her feet. She lightly patted the dust off her dress, "Thank you, for rescuing me," she said while giving a slight bow, "my name is Kyrie."  
  
"My- my pleasure!!" He fluttered, shyly scratching the back of his head. "The name's Nero, by the way!" He looks at her again, she's probably around his age, yet feminine and soft-spoken, unlike those girls back at home who were more like guysー Nero instantly shook his head; the day those girls ever find out what Nero thinks about them just now, he'll be as good as dead meat.   
  
"I... I have to go back," Kyrie suddenly spoke up and moved away, "My brother will be worried if he knows I'm out here."   
  
"Wait, what happened?"   
  
"I'm not sure..." She replied, taking a pause in her steps. "My brother said a man suddenly appeared and... and slain His Holiness..." She said with a trembling voice, "The city is in a panic ever since... I tried to help those who were lost, or injured... but it's only so much I could do..."   
  
Nero bit his lower lips, deep inside his guts, he knows it must be Dante who had killed this what-so-called His Holiness guy. Yet, he also knows Dante doesn't kill innocent human out of a blue, so there must be a reason for it. That, and he's also determined to find out what Dante's 'personal matter' is.   
  
"Let me go with you, I'll protect you!" He said without having a second thought. Kyrie lightly blushes from Nero's straight forward offer.   
  
"The Fortuna Castle is just up ahead," she shyly said, gesturing her hand toward the opposite direction he came from earlier.   
  
Nero nodded and follows her. The walk was awkward at first as both parties were too shy to start a conversation or even look at each other. Kyrie gathered her courage to start breaking the silence. They mostly just having a small talk, nothing important. Yet Nero genuinely enjoys every moment of it. It simply feels differences talking with her. She's sweet and caring. Her smile is like an angel, and Nero swears to himself he's not even exaggerating. He couldn't help but be amazed by her. Smitten, if one has to say, although the teen has yet to realize it himself. They stay like that until a magnificent looking castle was in plain sight. They went through the unmanned gate and immediately welcomed by a large, deep chasm which tore the castle away from the mainland. What laid in front of them was a long iron bridge which would bring them to the castle's large double door. Kyrie welcomed him in. Telling him it should be okay and she'll let her brother, Credo, knows that they'll be having a guess.   
  
_"How profound...!"_  
  
Both teens jumped from the sudden creepy voice echoing throughout the castle wall. Nero subconsciously took his battle stance again, ready to strike or shoot those who dare to attack them. From behind a corner, a large man wearing a monocle and with slightly hunched back approached them... or Nero, to be exact, clearly ignoring the girl as he trotted pass her.   
  
"Such magnificent!" The man cooed in awe at the demonic arm again. The teen had to take more than just a step away from the man who keeps mumbling to himself. Of what, Nero wasn't really sure. He vaguely heard something about research and demons and whatnot, and it's more than enough for Nero to seal the deal; this weirdo is bad news.  
  
"Who the hell are you!??" Nero barked, twisted Red Queen's grip and loudly revved up the sword which also serves as the last warning for the creepy scientist to back off. The man wasn't fazed by the sound of the weapon, although he did stop in his track and bowed his head down deeply.   
  
"I'm Agnus," He said. Despite his humble-looking gesture, Nero could senses that man was mocking them, looking down at them like some lowly insects. He gave Kyrie a quick glance. She shook her head, indicates that she too doesn't know nor heard about this guy. He braced himself further as Agnus look at him with a malicious grin.   
  
_"GUARDS!!!"_  He suddenly shouted, "A demon! An intruder!!"   
  
At his voice, three soldiers in white, heavy armory appears in the air out of blue, lunged at him and mercilessly speared Nero with their lances. He was sure no one but only three of them in this area until literally a second ago. He couldn't even grasp from where those soldiers appeared... _No_... if they were humans, they won't be able to injure or pierce their weapon through his demon-powered body  _that_ easily. He should have realized this sooner. An independent, strong demon hunter like Lady won't need  _both_  Dante and Trish for this job if it's merely to hunt down a demon or two. Chances are, most ー hopefully, not all ー the people in this whole island are demons, or related to them in a way.   
  
"Kyrie, run... _!!_ " He coughed up blood from his attempt to warn the girl.   
  
_"Nero!!"_ Kyrie cried but Agnus was quick to pull at her arm, stopping her from approaching the wounded man.    
  
"Don't, child," He said, "That's, a demon."   
  
"Nero, he... He saved my life!" She worriedly replied, clutching her hands close to her chest. Agnus scoffed, not amused by her plead.   
  
"His Holiness wants to see you, come!"   
  
"Eh!?" It's clear she's surprised. Wasn't His Holiness had been slain yesterday? Kyrie resists the scientist pulling at her arm. Unsure of what exactly had happened to their island. Who's telling the truth? Why with the sudden outbursts of demons in the forest? If Nero's really part of them, then why would he rescue her earlier? Annoyed, Agnus pulled at her arm again, strongly this time around, forced her to heel along and causing her to yelp in pain.   
  
"You son of aー!" Nero furiously hissed at him but quickly silenced by the soldier impaling its lance into the teen once again.   
  
"Ah, ah, no worry, I have no intention to harm her...  _yet._ " He turned around and replied with a creepy grin, "Soon you too shall be my next subject of experimentation."   
  
Nero tried to break free but no avail as those lances pierced deeper into his body, silencing him every time he struggles. His sight starting to blurred and his knees weaken from the unexpected attack and heavy injury he suffers. He cursed at himself. They might have just met but he had promised her he'll protect her. Yet, look at him now. Pathetically impaled by the enemies. He should have listened to Dante and stayed at home... His consciousness then fades away at the end of that thought.   
  
Agnus smirked in triumph, confident that he has successfully captured a perfect guinea pig... until he caught a glimpse of Nero's demonic arm shone brightly. Purple-ish blue light surrounds throughout the youngster's body and he snaps his eyes open. Instead of his usual calming, beautiful blue eyes, are now fiery red eyes of rage which glares toward Agnus. He opened the palm hand of his demonic arm, snarling incoherently at the soldiers who still pinned him strongly with their lance from each side.   
  
An eastern sword in the form of a katana broke through the granite tiled floor and flew toward Nero's open hand. A strong blast of energy immediately blew the armored soldiers away the moment he gripped at the hilt. When the dust dies down, there stood Nero. His wounds gone, completely healed, and his demonic arm held at the katana firmly. Both Kyrie and Agnus were staggered and shocked by what's happening in front of them, but what surprised them more is a large, spectral demon projected from behind his back.   
  
"How...!??" Agnus shouted without loosening her grip at Kyrie still, "Not even  _I_  could succeed in restoring it!!"   
  
_"Power..."_  Nero wheezed, his voice's deeper, hoarser, and echoed among itself. Agnus words didn't seem to reach him.  _"Give me more power!"_  
  
In a panic, Agnus transforms into his demonic-looking self. White insect-like, with a halo, one large eye on the left side of his face, and two large horns protruding downward from the head. He spreads out the hard shells protecting the membrane-wings underneath it and took to the air, with Kyrie still in his grasp. The girl cried out in panic, effectively snaps Nero back to his sense. The katana was spontaneously absorbed into his right arm along with the spectral demon who's nowhere to be seen now.   
  
"Let her go!!" He yelled at the realization of what happening to Kyrie, dashing toward the fleeing Agnus. He has to move fast before he's out of his reach, before he's too far up in the air, before everything is too late. _"KYRIE!!!"  
_  
"Nero..." She weakly whispered among her fading consciousness.   
  
The armored soldiers lunged at him once again. He swiped at them, easily trashed them aside with his freshly-obtained strength. A strong kick to the floor and Nero springs up, stretching his right arm out. Just a little bit more. Just another inch closer and he'll be able to pull the jackass down and rescue the girl. Higher. Just one more stretch. So close. Andー   
  
At the instant, one of the armored soldiers charged at him and sent him crashing back down to the tiled floor. The remaining two follows suit and impaled Nero with their respective weapon, pinning him to the floor. He roared, swings his demonic arm around and swats them away, sending them crashing to the wall before collapsing back down to the floor in a heap. This time, their movement ceased... but it's too late for Nero. Agnus nor Kyrie was anywhere in sight. He dropped to his knees, panting through gritted teeth. He clenched his fists and slammed his demonic arm to the floor in a rage, leaving large cracks to the flooring. How he could be a respectable demon hunter like Dante if he couldn't even protect a single girl from just a couple of demons. He rose to his feet and furiously marched toward the castle's hallway. He swears he'll rescue Kyrie no matter what. At the end of a hallway was a large room, tiny compares to the one before this, but still larger than the Devil May Cry shop. 

  

 _"What are you doing here?"_  
  
Nero flinched at the way too familiar voice. He looked to the left and there stood Dante, crossing his arm and staring at him unamused.   
  
"I, I'mー" Nero stuttered and took a step back. He shook his head, "Forget it, I don't have time for this!!" he growled, pushing Dante aside and walked away from him. The older glares at him. The kid he knows - and raises - won't act like this. Reckless and fearless, sure. But never driven by blind rage. Dante grabbed him by the right shoulder.   
  
"And neither do I... _!!_ " A sudden realization hits Dante the very second he touches Nero. His eyes widen and he immediately went to grab the youngster's right wrist which grew bright in response. Dante held his breath as a familiar weapon protruding out the boy's arm. The youngster snarled and tried to break free from his grip, not hesitate to use his newfound power against the man who almost single handly raises him for 18 years. Dante has no choice but to hurled him to the side. "How... Where did you get that sword?!" Dante demanded.   
  
"Your point being?" He hissed, gripping at the long sword as he slowly rose to his feet; refused to obey and adamant in his own way. He Triggers himself, showing off the large spectral demon toward the older hunter.   
  
"Hmm..." Dante hummed at the sight, amazed to see the kid has mastered a new trick. He had wished they were not in such a grim situation, otherwise, he would have showered the kid with silly praise which will make him blushing bright pink. "That's Yamato. It was originally my brother's..." Dante sighed, his expression gloomed as he glances at the weapon in Nero's hand. "Return it to me, kid. It's not something you go running around and swinging it like a toy!"   
  
The teen huffed, rolling his eyes away. Dante knows the boy isn't thinking straight, although he doesn't know the reason why he acts and as agitated like that. More the reason why he won't allow Nero to proceed further. He'll simply get himself killed, and that's one thing he will never allow, even at the costs of his life. With his prized Rebellion held and carefully rested on his shoulder, he stood between the boy and the door Nero's trying to go through.   
  
The younger roared, lunged forward with Yamato which was then deflected away with a swing from Rebellion. The teen swings the long sword down at him again and again, yet easily guarded by Dante each time. Not that Dante has the heart to actually attack or hurt him; thus playing defensive was his only choice. Yet, even an amateur could see Nero was merely trashing around. Not displaying his usual swordsmanship skill. Not paying attention to his opponent's movement. Nothing. All he did was frustratingly smash the weapon down at the veteran. Like a kid throwing a fit in the public when their parents refused them of their want.   
  
Nero thrusts the blade forward and under Rebellion. The sudden change of movement caught Dante slightly off-guard. He slashes up, hitting Dante's sword off his hand and Rebellion spun into the air above. Nero took a step back, drew Yamato close before thrusting forward once again. Unfazed despite has been disarmed, Dante stepped aside, easily avoids the straight forward attack. Once he's out of the harm's way, Dante gently shoved the back of Nero's head, tripping the youngster off his feet and sending him comically crashing to the floor. He caught the Rebellion midair and immediately steps his foot at Yamato's hilt before Nero was able to return to his feet. The latter still refuses to let go of the said weapon despite everything.  
  
"You cooled off yet, Nero?"   
  
The teen's breathing rough, but at least he's calm, or tired enough, or both, to not throw another selfish fit at his father figure. He merely turned his head away from Dante whose breathing is still as calm as before they fought. Their bout was not even worth a warming up for the older.   
  
"That sword... was used to separate our world from the demons." Dante sighed, lifting his foot off the weapon, allowing Nero to stood back up. The youngster did so but sealing his mouth shut, simply stares at the sword held in his hand in silence. "I can't have something of that kind of power floating around now, can I?"   
  
"I need this..." Nero softly said with head hangs low.  
  
Dante looked at the youngster who could not even look back at him in the eyes. He pressed his lips together. He knows Nero is reflecting on his mistakes, of his carelessness, yet he felt a sense of guilt is eating at the boy alive from the inside. And the teen would cling on the slightest hope ー in this case, the Yamato which will boost his power ー to achieve his goal. The older took a deep breath, exhaled a sigh and his expression slightly soften; saddened. Dante wished Nero would share his problem with him. He is his family, is he not? It hurts him to see the boy in such a devastating state.   
  
"Then keep it."   
  
Nero turned his head to look at him. Eyes widen in surprise. Disbelief at his own ears. After all those lectures about how dangerous this weapon is, Dante's going to give it to him just like that?   
  
"I have another urgent matter to attend andー" Dante paused and took a deep breath, "Promise me, Nero." He added with a solemn face, how he wishes he could just dump everything away just to accompany and protect the teen with everything he has, "Promise me you will  _not_  be reckless, promise me that youー we, will return home, together."   
  
Nero merely gave a slight nod, but Dante crossed his arm at him. "I... I promise," He eventually said and the older's expression eased.   
  
"Now that you're calm and cool," He said with a small smile, gesturing his hand at the teen then toward the door, "Get going, kiddo!"   
  
Nero tightens his grip at Yamato, strengthen his resolves along with it. Both spare each other a side glance before Nero made his way toward the door and Dante watches him disappears behind it. The older took a step toward the said door, stretching his arm out to some extent ー deep down, he wanted to pursue the youngster ー but soon drew his hand back close to his chest, fist clenched.   
  
"Are you sure you want to let him go?"   
  
At the familiar female's voice, Dante turned around and saw Trish, gracefully trots her way toward Dante from where the youngster barged in earlier. His shoulders dropped and softly exhaled through the nose. Both glance at the opposite door of where Nero had taken off to.   
  
"Yeah, I figure he can bear the burden..." Dante mused, smiling silly like a proud father. He's still worried about him of course, but he's also determined to put all his trust in Nero. After all, the veteran wants to be the first to believe in the teen' strength and determination, more so than Nero himself. That's the least a parent could ー and should ー give to their children.   
  
"Hmm..." Trish eyed at him, circling the man once before she opened her mouth again. "I know it's not my business, but this could get ugly."  
  
"Well, if he screws up," Dante said, half-chuckling to himself, "then I'll just have to kick his ass all the way to home."  
  
   
  
Without ever looking back, Nero rushed up the tower's spiraling stairs leading to the rooftop. The tower was hollow in the middle... and a colossal statue stood in the center of it all. Reaching the topmost floor, soon entering his sight was the face of the marble statue. White angel-like in form, complete with a golden halo, and two large horns protruding outward from the side of its head. Half of Kyrie's body has been absorbed into the large, sapphire-colored gem decorating the statue's forehead; barely conscious. Agnus was nowhere to be seen, and instead, at the top of the said statue, he spotted two men, neither he has seen before. Both in a white outfit, but one was an old geezer adorned in high-priest clothing, while the other, much younger than the former but still older than Nero from his look... have a sword impaled into his stomach. Blood stained the white military outfit.   
  
"What the...!?"  
  
The old priest pulled the sword out of the man with one swift move and indifferently watched the wounded soldier stumbled down the statue, crashing to the ground not too far from where Nero stood. The teen quickly approached the man who instantly grabbed onto him with what left of all the strength he had, albeit weakly with the critical condition he's in.   
  
"Please, honor last one request..." He weakly pleaded. He has no idea who this teen was but will cling onto the very last hope he could lay his hands on. "Save my sister from Sanctus... Save... Kyrie..." Nero soon realizes this dying man is Credo, Kyrie's older brother she has mentioned for a couple of time before they arrived in this God-forsaken castle. Judging from the situation, he must have wanted to save his sister but ultimately failed.  
  
"I'll save Kyrie, I promise!" He replied, wouldn't want to deny one of their dying wishes.   
  
Credo's gripped weakened, his expression lessened to a small smile of relief, closed his eyes and breathed out a last, inaudible thank you before the last drop of his life slipped away from his mortal body. Nero tensed at the now lifeless remains. It was still warm as he gently laid the body to the ground. He clenched his fists, unsure of what to tell Kyrie about her brother after everything calmed down later. He stood back up, cranked his neck to glares at the man atop the statue. The elderly stares down at him.   
  
"I've heard everything from Agnus," His Holiness with the name Sanctus opened his mouth, "Do you wish to become one with her? Within the Savior, your mortal bodies will combine, melting into one to manifest and create His core!"  
  
"Go blow yourself!!" Nero barked from his position. The geezer shut his lips and his expression soured, annoyed at the teen's brash attitude. Nero exchange a look with Kyrie. "I'm here to save you... Please trust me."   
  
Kyrie gave him one, last small smile before her whole body was eventually absorbed into the Savior.  
  
"I'm afraid you are too late." Sanctus said again, spreading his arms out in confident, "But although still incomplete, this is your chance to catch a glimpse of the true power of our Savior!!"   
  
At the provocation, Nero leaped forward with Yamato in his hand, ready to strike the old geezer down. His Holiness was unfazed, however, simply raised his arm up and the statue's arm moved in synch with his; swiped at Nero like a fly, sending him tumbling down to the open rooftop. The large statue's arm grabbed onto his body, holding the teen in place between those large, stone fingers.   
  
"Still, I must salute a man who able to wield the sword once belonging to the legendary Dark Knight," The high priest mused, "You seem to have the blood of Sparda in you, while not in Dante's leagueー"   
  
"Dante?!" Nero snarled at the mention of the name of his father-figure.   
  
Sanctus scoffed, why the boy just has to keep interjecting his speech. The Savior held Nero up so now he's at the same eye-level with the old priest. "I had originally intended to absorb Dante into the Savior." At that, Nero gritted his teeth, struggled to break free but no avail. The elderly continues, "But circumstance presenting, I'd rather choose the option at hand." His Holiness waved his arm to the side and Nero's demonic arm shone brightly. The Yamato protrudes out of his arm once again. With another wave of his hand, Nero could only watch at how Yamato, the legendary weapon which Dante entrusted to him, hovers and falls into the enemy's hand. "When your blood and this sword are combined, I will be able to proceed to the final stage of my ultimate goalー"  
  
_"NERO!!"_ Both the eldest and the teen snapped toward the direction of the familiar voice. At the lower section of the tower, they spot Dante and Trish barged into the scene.   
  
"Ah, it's you again..." His Holiness mockingly mused at the demon hunters below, "Unfortunately for you, because of this boy... _ah-_ your... son? I assumed; you have been outwitted and the Savior will be completed!" He stabbed the Yamato into the teen's demonic arm without any warning and Nero snarled in pain as blood gushed out from the wound. "Escape is inevitable. The creation cannot be stopped!" The priest cracked up evil laughter before he himself slowly disappears into the Savior.   
  
"Don't you dare giving up on me, kid!" Dante barked again, clearly desperate in his tone.  
  
Nero weakly glanced down, parts of his body have been gradually absorbed into the Savior. Among his fleeting consciousness, he caught a glimpse of Dante's worried face down there. He stretched his injured arm out, tried to push an apology out of his mouth, but before he could afford the luxury, he disappears... gone from Dante's sight, fully absorbed into the Savior.   
  
_"NERO!!!"_  Dante yelled again, hopelessly calling for the teen's name. His heart almost stopped from witnessing what happening in front of him. He gritted his teeth of how he could do nothing but watches his beloved boy taken by the enemy. Rage boiled in his blood. If he had known they were onto the same target, he would have tagged along with the kid. He would be there for Nero, to protect him.   
  
"Dante!" Trish firmly called from his side, stopping the demon hunter from bursting into a blind burst of rage.  
  
"Trish...?!" Dante exhaled among gnashed teeth. One would say he's lucky to have Trish who constantly have him in check. Yet, even Trish herself realized that she can only do so much; unwise to stand in between the man and Nero, especially when it comes to the youngster's safety. Has to admit she's not sure for how long she could calm an enrage father knowing the kid is in danger.   
  
Before neither could settle and calm their feeling, the statue broke free from the tower walls surrounding it, slowly but surely hovers away from the pair and toward the city. From an erect, colossal slab, which many had thought to be the city's monument, horde and horde of demons poured out from the stone like a water dam being released from its confines. The freed lesser demons mercilessly attack and kill the citizen. This only meant one thing, the geezer has somehow passed the stolen Yamato to someone and they have used it to open the Hell's gate.   
  
"I'll sweep the city and evacuate the people," Trish exclaimed, turning her back away from the Savior.   
  
_"I'M NOT ABANDONING THE KIDー"  
_  
"THAT SWORD!!" Trish interjected and boldly marched toward Dante, fearlessly closing the gap between them. "Is the key to opening the Hell's gate!" She continues, voice stern and eyes forward, unfazed by Dante's glare. She couldn't believe she has to spell this out to the man. Dante should know better. As much as she, too, worried about Nero's safety, there's a much bigger priority and danger presents at hand and sheー they, will need Dante to focus and stick to their plan. Dante has to retrieve Yamato back from the Order and close the Hell's gate, for the whole world's safety was highly depended on it. " _You_ , the son of the Dark Knight Sparda, are the only one left who can stop this whole mess!"   
  
Dante stubbornly averted his gaze away from Trish.   
  
"...He'll be fine," Trish said, placing a hand on his shoulder to reassure him, "That geezer will need the boy alive in order to have him as the Savior's core." Dante wasn't buying her reason, however, and Trish exhaled a soft sigh, "You said it yourself, he's a strong kid, have faith in him!"   
  
Dante's expression softened and his muscle slightly relaxed at her words. Trish's right. He should believe in that kid, to trust Nero more than anyone else. A small, sheepish smile formed on his face. Trish studies him for another second before giving him a nod, to indicate she will proceed with their plan, and he too should get going. Another pat to the man's shoulder and she walked away. Dante spares her a quick glance before reverting his glare toward the Savior at the horizon, It has made himself known to the resident in the city of Fortuna, killing the lesser demons with the Savior, shamelessly proclaiming himself as their messiah. Only if those poor people knew Sanctus was the very reason why those demons appear on their island. The demon hunter clenched his fists strongly before turning his back away and leave the scene in silence.   
  
Trish who has been watching him from the shadow, hidden behind a pillar, could only exhale through the nose. Things will get ugly and she couldn't help but pity those who might happen to cross Dante's path. Once she's sure Dante's out of her sight and believes he's sticking to their plan, she gracefully leaped across the wall and moved away from the area, making her way toward Fortuna, at the opposite direction from where Dante had gone to.   
  
Just like what Trish predicted, many greater demons were fell under Dante's hands. From a she-serpent to a large flaming centaur-like demon as he marched toward where the stolen Yamato rumored to be kept. He returned to the now wrecked Great Hall where he had once slain the old geezer. Dante's path was blocked by a creepy-looking man in a white lab outfit... who was then mercilessly shot in the head with Dante's demonic-fused bullet, killing the mad scientist in the instance. From there, the hunter proceeds toward the hidden path leading down to the underground lab without wasting another second.   
  
At the center of the half-dimmed lab, Yamato could be seen being erected in the middle of the room filled with pools of blood. Dante huffed and wrinkled his nose at the heavy smell of iron leaking from those blood polluting the air. Yamato's tip was stabbed into an ancient artifact adorned with carving and tribal-like markings and the man sensed the weapon's power was being forcefully extracted from the sword. He stares at Yamato, mixed feeling brewed in his heart, but there's no time to be somber. He has a kid to rescue. Dante grabbed onto the katana's hilt, pulling the sword out with one swift movement and effectively stopping and closing the Hell's gate from releasing more demons to the city before making his way to the exit.   
  
The moment Dante exited the building, the Savior's colossal frame entered his sight, backgrounded by a clear blue sky. Those who didn't know better would have thought it's an angel, sent from the heaven above to wipe those demons out and protect those humans. Dante tightens his grip at Yamato, teeth gritted in rage, ready to strike at any given second.   
  
"You got it back?" The familiar female voice snapped Dante back to his sense, stopping him once again from being blinded by fury. Dante spares a glance toward the direction where Trish's voice came. He slightly nodded. "And one left..." Trish added, resting her hands on the waist. Both looked up at the Savior. Time to get their beloved kid back.   
  
"...Can you get those people as far away as possible?" Dante suddenly asked, his gaze never left the Savior.   
  
Trish gave him a side glance. Seems like the man wanted to do this alone. Must have felt it was his responsibility that Nero was taken away from them. Trish rolled her eyes away; gotta be a man's pride or whatever, but she's not going to argue with him over it. She's confident and trusts Dante could do this better than anyone else.   
  
"Got it!" Her reply was short and to the point. She walked away from Dante then, leaving the hunter all by himself to face against the Savior.   
  
With Yamato still in his hand, Dante jumped and leaped among the rooftops, slaying any of those armored soldiers along the way until he eventually landed on the city's highest building point.   
  
"You destroyed the Hell's gate!!" The Savior snarled.   
  
"You ready to fight now or what?" Dante hissed back at the statue.   
  
"Do as you wish, your attempts are futile!!" The Savior raised its hands and slammed them onto Dante who easily leaped away to safety. Those fists easily destroyed the building beneath them. The hunter scaled and ran across the Savior's body until he reached the blue gem of a core in the middle of its chest. Dante forced the Yamato into the core in an attempt to destroy it but the Savior swats its hand at Dante, to knock him off its body. With the Yamato still impaled onto the outer shell of the core, Dante has no choice but to leap away before he's squashed by those large stone hands.   
  
From that one stab, Dante realized it won't be easy for him to force himself into the core or the Savior. Still, won't stop him from trying to rescue Nero. If he couldn't pull Nero to safety from the outside, the least he could do was to help him to escape from the inside. It was one bet he's willing to gamble. While falling midair, he drew his priced Ebony and Ivory from their sockets and rapidly shoots at the golden pommel of the eastern sword. His aims were at absolute precise and every single bullet he shot out of the guns' barrels forcefully pushed the katana deeper and deeper into the gem until Yamato was hilted deep inside the inner core ー the heart ー of the Savior, sending the giant statue tumbled down to its knees.   
  
"What have you done!??" It roared at Dante. The Savior was technically expressionless being a stone statue and all, but the voice echoing from deep within the statue was clear the 'person' (or what left of him) who controls the Savior from the inside was in pain with Yamato stabbing him deep in the heart.   
   
"Time to wake up, kid!!" Dante barked, ignoring the Savior. "You've missed out all the fun!!"   
  
It was silence still. No sign of the teen responding to him.   
  
_"NERO!!"_  Dante yelled at the top of his lungs. The tone was almost pleading, desperately clinging on his last hope that Nero is indeed okay despite being trapped inside the Savior.   
  
Dante held his breath when he sensed the energy from Yamato reacted inside the core. The same familiar energy he felt when the legendary sword was held by a certain someone... but what important to him most: _Nero IS alive!_  The teen must have laid his hand on the Yamato once again. A wide smile of relief formed on his face at the realization that Nero's okay.   
  
Meanwhile, deep inside the Savior, the teen in question could hear the distant sound of Dante calling for him. The teen stretched his demonic arm out, claws ripped at the tough skin from within the heart. He grabbed at the katana's hilt and used it to slice an open wound on the heart and pulled himself out of those muscle mass holding him in place before eventually crashed a couple of feet down to the chamber's ground beneath it. He grunted and shook his head as he slowly raises his upper body up, then looked down at what his right arm was holding; the Yamato.   
  
"It's up to you from there, kid!"Nero turned his head to the side, that was Dante's voice, vibrating through the wall, although the source seemed to come from the far outside. "An opportunity to save the world doesn't happen every day you know!" Dante continues, "Savor it!!"   
  
The teen returned to his feet, hand clutching at the Yamato firmly. Making a mental note to not lose or drop the weapon ever again. He glanced around, doesn't seem to be any way out and there was only one tunneling path leading him out of the chamber.   
  
"Do what you gotta do, kid!" Nero heard Dante's voice again. " _'_ cause I'm about to send this guy on a one way trip to Hell!"   
  
"Don't worry!" Nero snorted in amusement although he wasn't sure whether Dante could hear him or not. A sense of pride swells in him. Secretly happy to learn that Dante was trusting him with this task; possibility the first time ever the veteran hunter entrusts him to a mission, and not just any odd job, but a grand mission to save the world! Without having Dante to spell it out loud, he would savor every moment of this. With a strengthen resolve in his heart and mind, the teen marched forward. "Let's clean up this mess!"  
  
Outside, Dante studies the Savior closely, easily evading its every single attack. Its movement seemed to be slower, duller, and more predictable now. With the Savior who has lost its heart's core greatly weakened from the inside, it was a walk in the park for him. After dodging yet another swat of hand, Dante huffed through the nose, much more relaxed in his feature compares to him minutes ago. He murmured to himself as he looked up at the struggling giant statue. "Good luck, Nero..."  
  
Nero follows the one-way path and arrived at yet another larger chamber. The wall was decorated with sets of blood-red eyes of all shape and size. All unfocused and the pupils darting here and there at random, leaving a creepy, eerie taste in the air. A large, round shell-like confinement at the center with multiple small opening gap which shone bright with red-accent. Possibly another core of the Savior. The brain, if he has to guess. At the largest gap of them all, Kyrie could be seen trapped in the middle of it. She looked up at Nero's entrance into the chamber.   
  
"We had originally intended your father to form the Savior's core..." Nero took his battle stance at the sudden appearance of the old geezer again, who now look less human that he was earlier. A halo on the back of his head, complete with a blue gem decorating his forehead, just like the Savior. His scleras pitch black with burning gold pupils. Another set of two large tusks of sort appeared from his back, forming a larger halo in a wing-like manner. The teen rolled his eyes away at this His Holiness guy for repeating the same quote again. The elderly now stood between him and the girl. "Perhaps it would've been wiser to adhere to that choice..."   
  
"Too late for regret!" Nero snarled and points Yamato toward his opponent, "Now release her!!"   
  
Sanctus laughed. "What is this?" He mockingly asked, "Love?"   
  
Nero said nothing. Love? He wasn't sure, although the possibility is there. He simply doesn't have the time nor the luxury to settle down and think about his feeling after being too mixed up with this whole mess. That, as well as he has promised her he will protect her, and he's the man of his word. But more than anything else, he was pissed that this old fart has wanted not only to use an innocent girl in his scheme but also to sacrifice Dante to achieve his such oh so cliche idea of an evil masterplan.   
  
_"Come on, kid! It's time to finish this!"_  
  
Nero heard Dante's voice coming from the outside again. The teen nodded to himself and readied the Yamato, eyes never left the geezer. "Wrapping things up on my end."   
  
"Don't be too sure, boy!" The elderly hissed, a large sword formed and appears in his hand. Nero immediately realized it as the legendary sword Sparda; originally belonged to Dante, and the very same sword Trish had borrowed when she left the shop ahead of them. Of how the geezer could obtain it, he wasn't sure, but it simply resolves him further. He heightens his own senses so he won't be caught off guard. This was a fight he could not afford to lose. He will stop this old geezer at all costs.   
  
"Although flawed, the power of the Savior is beyond that of which someone like  _you_  can defeat!" With the legendary sword Sparda in his hand, Sanctus lunged forward.   
  
Nero slashed Yamato forward and deflected the large sword up. The impact forced the elderly priest who was not used to the weight of the sword, to be pushed back a few steps as the gravity from the bounced-off Sparda dragged him away from the teen. Sanctus grunted, tried to pull himself together. Nero wasn't going to let this chance slipped away. Summoning the large spectral demon arm, he landed a straight hook toward the priest. The Sparda sword fell off his grasp then, and before the body could even hit the floor, Nero slashed Yamato horizontally forward and carved a clean hit toward his opponent's torso, sending the old geezer sprawled across the chamber.   
  
"The power of Sparda..." He hissed historically, coughing up blood. Sanctus pathetically crawled to grab at the legendary sword once again, "Why don't you give me strength? Am I not worthy!?"   
  
"Sparda had a heart..." Nero spoke up. Granted he only vaguely knows the story of Sparda, Dante's father, as much as what the legend about him has gone around at most. But deep inside him, Nero was absolutely sure Sparda loved his family. "A heart that could love another person, a human!" He continues, glaring at the high priest, "And that is what  _you_  lack!"   
  
The old priest grunted, and with the last of his strength, he points the blade of the legendary sword toward Kyrie in a last attempt to hold her hostage, to use her as the shield against the teen.   
  
"This time I will save you," Nero exclaimed and marched forward toward them, unfazed by the geezer's pathetic struggle to intimidate him.   
  
"Don't move or I'llー" He tried to swings the heavy sword at Kyrie, who shut her eyes and turned her head away. Bracing herself for whatever that's coming at her. Nero instantly tossed Yamato aside. Sanctus' gaze immediately went toward the other legendary sword. Eyes widen and mouth agape in shock. If only he could also have that Yamato, he would be invincible!   
  
With his opponent's attention reverted away from Kyrie, the teen lunged forward with his demonic arm without wasting another second, awarding the off-guard priest a full force uppercut-hook to the chin, sending him, and the Sparda sword, to the air. Nero's spectral demonic arm grabbed onto Yamato which still spun in the air. He pulled the sword back close to himself, quickly but carefully slashed the weapon around the membrane which locked Kyrie in place. Freed, the girl falls into his open arms.   
  
Before long, Sanctus landed head-first onto the ground with a thud. The Sparda spun in the air for a couple of time before allowing the gravity to does its job. It felt back onto the ground... with the endpoint, whether it was coincidence or not, impaled into the fallen elderly. Nero's eyes twitched for Sanctus' dying screech of pain was earsplitting. Fortunately, it quickly ceased once his life left the old, broken body.  
  
Nero returned his gaze toward Kyrie. "Sorry I took so long..." he softly said, holding the girl firmly between his arms. She blinked a few times before her eyes could focus on what in front of her. At the sight of Nero's face, she teared up but also smiled in relief, embracing the teen in return, whispering a soft _'Thank you'_ to him.   
  
Meanwhile, outside the Savior, Dante braced himself for yet another giant fist flying at him, readied his Rebellion to counter it... until it's movement suddenly stopped and the Savior froze midway in the middle of its attack.   
  
"...It's over, huh?" He looked up at the statue and lowered Rebellion. Dante paced in circles with short steps interval as he waits in anticipation for Nero to return. Even a mere second felt like forever in a situation like this.   
  
From the cracked forehead's gem, Nero sprung out with Kyrie still carried in his arms and landed on the city's square, not even a quarter block away from where Dante has waited for them. Dante raised an eyebrow, amused. He hasn't seen him for only a short moment and not only Nero returned with the legendary sword Sparda strapped on his back, but he also returned with a girl in his arms too. He chuckled to himself, well, as long as the boy's safe and sound, nothing's matter.   
  
"Take your time!" Dante teased, resting his hands on his waist and grinned mischievously at the approaching teens. Nero shyly scoffed and lowered Kyrie down once Dante's merely an arm's length away. The girl nervously bowed her head to Dante who simply smiled back at her. Nero returned the legendary sword Sparda to Dante first and the latter happily, and proudly, welcomed the sword back. Nero then pulled Yamato out of the safety of his demonic arm and presents the katana back to the veteran demon hunter.

"I guess... I should thank you..."   
  
"Don't sweat it!" The older snorted a chuckle. Hands went to firmly but also gently grabbed onto the teen's shoulders instead. As if he's trying to reassure himself that the boy is indeed here, standing in front of him in flesh. Nero dished Yamato closer toward Dante's chest. The latter looked down at the said weapon, then a quick glance at the teen before reverting the gaze back to the katana once again. "Keep it!"   
  
"What...!?" Nero asked back, tilting his head, "I thought this meant a lot to you...?"   
  
"Well, it stays in the family and... we are family, are we not?" Dante asked back with a smile, gesturing his hand toward the Yamato. "And I want to entrust it to you!"   
  
Nero's smile couldn't get any wider and happier. Dante himself too beamed ear to ear from watching how delighted the boy is.

"Let's go home," Dante gave each of the teens a look and a slight nod. "all of us."

   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finished this chapter at long last! 
> 
> Wasn't easy to tie this AU with the canon DMC4's story. I have to twist some parts so the story could fall smoothly ((hopefully it is; please pretend you don't see anything if you find weird plot holes haha))...  
> also decided to not have Nero kill a human, even tho that said man (aka Sanctus) has become less than half a human by the end of the story. Well, ofc the ol' geezer still died, but at least not directly by Nero's hands; for I don't think Dante would want the boy to dirty his hands. 
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway, the next part will take place in DMC5 setting & possibly the last chapter for this AU; hopefully, it won't take too long as well...


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part 1 of DMC5 based setting for this AU  
> ((It's getting longer than I've expected and decided to split them into 2 parts; still working on the 2nd part tho haha...))
> 
>    
> just like the previous chapter, most of the boss fight scenes, as well as the part where Nero himself didn't "see" in the game (EX: when V proceeds the mission by himself) was cut short or entirely removed from this fic as well; IMO what we (as the game's players) know, didn't equally means every charas in that game knows what had happened at certain parts of the game as well... so yeah... 
> 
> Nonetheless, hope you'll enjoy~

_"HE'S YOUR FATHER!!"_  
  
Nero flinched hard he took a step away from the man who just shouted at him. Dante himself also taken aback at the young adult's reaction. He shut his lips tight, it was never in his intention to shout at the boy like that. It just... happened. And he deeply regretted it.  
  
"Whatー" Nero braced himself forward once again, shortening his distance with Dante whose expression hardened at his approach. "What do you mean he's my father!??"   
  
All his life, Nero has seen Dante as his family. He's aware the man standing in front of him isn't his biological parent, but if anything matters, Dante is his father (as much as he won't admit it out loud). And now the man himself claimed Vergil, Dante's very own long lost brother ー one they all thought had died more than 2.5 decades ago ー as his father?? But what hurt him the most wasn't the fact Dante shouted at him or indirectly proclaiming he's not his son. It was the look in Dante's face that pained him the most.   
  
Nero couldn't bear looking at Dante with such expression ー a mix of spiraling emotions like he would break down crying anytime soon. First of all, Dante should be internally glad, happy, to learn Vergil's alive. Yet he was devastated, angry, for what he did to Nero, ripping the boy's arm off just for the sake of gaining more power. And last but not least, he was also torn by the fact he has to kill his twin, for real this time around if Vergil going to destroy the world they are living in. And that means he would also rob Nero off his biological father by doing so. Sorrow weighted his heart. Why everything that revolves around his brother and him always ended up mercilessly tearing them apart, again and again?   
  
"I had the feeling the first time I saw you but I wasn't sure..." Dante explained with a heavy heart, strengthen the grip on his sword and his muscles stiffed, couldn't bring himself to look at the youngster in the eyes, "Then I saw how the Yamato reacted 6 years ago... and I was certain. He's..." A pause, eyes still not meeting with Nero's. "...your father."   
  
The young hunter clenched his fists. He can't have Dante shoulders those burdens by himself. Especially not after all those expressions Dante wear just now. Dante has  _him!_  He is his family! He should have trusted him more! He follows his path as a demon hunter not because he's into the thrill of slaying demons, it was because he looked up at him. Nero genuinely wants to help him in lessening his burden and workload. Yet, all Dante ever does was pushed him aside, never entrust him with missions that they deemed too difficult for a  _'kid'_  despite he has proven himself in Fortuna (albeit has caused a lot of worries to them back then; also the reason why Dante tried to keep him away from this business). And when the situation needed him the most, when his family was sprawling, bruising, and bleeding in defeat under Urizen, Dante called him a dead weight!   
  
It hurts his feeling.   
  
A lot!   
  
But he rather endures that pain if it means he could help his father-figure the best of his ability.   
  
Despite the tensed atmosphere and an invisible rift torn a gap between the two, Nero perfectly aware Dante genuinely cares for him. The veteran simply tried to push him away, deliberately calling him dead weight because he didn't want Nero to get hurts; especially not after the reckless stun he pulled in Fortuna. Knew it hurts Dante to referred the younger as such. Regrets were written all over his face as clear as daylight. He also has the feeling Dante regretted his decision in gifting him the Yamato, which resulted in him losing an arm, to his very own biological father. And now, Dante's not going to risk Nero losing another limb - or worst, his life.  
  
"Now, he needs an ass-kicking," Dante continues, giving small pats at Nero's shoulder, "But I can't have you go kill your old man."   
  
He watched Dante walked further and further away. Despite the laid-back tone he gave him, Nero knows it's nothing but a fake, fragile mask to hides the true feeling underneath it. The older man was slowly killing himself from the inside just so Nero won't drag himself into yet another dangerous situation, to keep him away from the possible life and death clash between the two brothers, but more importantly, spares him from witnessing one of them die at the other's hand.   
  
"My father..." Nero murmured, his expression furrowed and conflicted. He glances to the left, at where Vergil had disappeared into along with Yamato, and then toward the direction where Dante had gone, opposite of the path Vergil took. He simply stood there, staring at his left hand and his worn out Devil Breaker as he silently ponders over what he should do next. 

 

* * *

  
Looking back, that day, more than a month ago, Nero was merely visiting Kyrie who has been staying with Nico ever since the incident in Fortuna. He was there to help the latter in fixing a van and then to enjoys Kyrie's cooking after. That very same evening, no one would have thought someone, a mysterious hooded man, was strong enough to rip his demonic arm away. His right arm from the elbow down was cleanly severed and blood gushed out like a water fountain as he cried in pain and agony. With the right arm gone, so does all the demonic power resides in him; proven by how he's unable to heal himself or stop the bleeding.   
  
He still clearly remember the distressed look in Dante's face when they informed him of Nero's condition.  
  
Begging for a job wasn't really Dante's strong suit, but the hunter needs every clue and information he could get his hands on from Morrison about this mysterious man who dares to rob Nero off his right arm. He will make sure the culprit would pay for what he did.   
  
Not even a week since then and Morrison returned to the shop and concernedly looked at the hunter sitting behind his usual desk. Unkept facial hairs and stubbles, and those tired eyes who emptily stares at him. Must have been awake all day and night worrying about Nero. He scans the shop. As usual, Trish leaned her hips against the desk where Dante sits behind it. Nero was there with them too, sat on the couch with Lady by his side. Morrison's mind ached at the sight of the white bandages wrapping at what left of the boy's right arm. He quickly shook his head and informed them he brought a client who proclaimed he knows what has happened to the boy's arm.   
  
They turned toward the stranger entering their shop next. Nero raised an eyebrow; that man was a pale yet tall and slender with medium-long dark hair and adorned in a long, sleeveless leather coat. He also has tattoos which cover most part of his exposed skin. But more than anything, he looks incredibly fragile, sickly, that he often has to support his own weight with a cane held on his right hand. His other hand clutches a book held close to the chest, must be a dear possession to him.   
  
"So what's your name?"   
  
"I have no name; I am but two days old." Both Nero and Lady exchange a look. A silent agreement between the two that this client was indeed  _something_. "Just kidding. You can call me V." He chuckled and also refused to introduce himself further.   
  
"Okay..." Dante eyed him skeptically, annoyance starts to brew at the back of his mind. "Why don't you tell me everything you know?"  
  
"A powerful demon is about to resurrect, and we need your help..." A short pause, "...Dante." The hunter scoffed. He has heard that exact same line way too many times. But more than anything, that was not the answer he was looking for. "This is... special," V continues, reverting his gaze toward Nero's now non-existence arm from the corner of his eyes.   
  
"What so special about this one?" Trish asked in Dante's stead.   
  
"This demon is your  _'reason'_..." His gaze eventually left Nero and turned to slowly approached Dante's desk. His green eyes stare down at Dante like a hawk. "Your reason for fighting." Dante wasn't sold, however. A confident yet cocky smile formed on V's face as he leaned forward, whispering something to Dante's ears. Dante's expression hardened, and those blue eyes widened and burned with a raging passion.   
  
Nero watched every single moment of those from the sideline.  _This._  This was too damn familiar. It was almost they were replaying the scene before they embarked to Fortuna 6 years ago. He also knew what they would tell him. Soon. At any moment now...   
  
"Nero, you stay at home."  
  
There came those  _not_  long-awaited words.    
  
Dante made himself clear this time around. Without his demon arm and no mean to heals himself, Nero's strength was only slightly above a physically-trained man. This was not something a one-armed kid should poke his nose into. Of course, Nero being Nero, won't simply back down that easily when he's denied of his wants.   
  
"He stole my arm, Iー" He protested, advanced toward Dante and the others who were ready to leave.   
  
"You'll be nothing but a dead weight!!" Dante interjected with a snarl, teeth bared. Nero flinched, froze in the spot like a prey animal petrified in fear. Dante has never shouted at him like that, but more than anything, his father-figure would never belittle him like that.   
  
"DANTE!!?" Lady shocked at the man's word. In fact, all of them disbelieved their ears, saved for V. How could he said that to the boy! As much as they agree with Dante in not dragging Nero in this mission, there should be a better word of choice to use and pick from. A low rumbling growl escaped Dante's throat as he turned his head away with gritted teeth. He's not going to change his mind no matter what.  
  
"I'm leaving!!" He said, commanded, and stormed out of the door.  
  
Trish lightly shook her head and followed the man in leaving the shop. Morrison closely in tow. Lady looked back at Nero, genuinely feels bad for him, but it's probably best if she refrains from encouraging the boy which will lead him into yet another dangerous stun. She clutched at the straps of her prized Kalina Ann slung over her shoulder before making a quick retreat, leaving Nero and the enigmatic V behind.   
  
It happened so fast, before Nero himself could comprehend what had happened, the crews have officially left him behind. He cursed under his breath once he was snapped out of his trance.  
  
"...That's one strict father." V softly commented with a chuckle of amusement.   
  
At the sudden voice, Nero immediately realizes he's not exactly alone. He glanced toward V and breathed out a sigh; sees no point in ranting toward a complete stranger and rested his hips down to the couch again, pouting and staring at the empty ceiling. Partially ignoring the man. Unlike 6 years ago, this time neither of them ever mentioned where they were going to this time. The client has personally told Morisson where to and the broker will drove them there.   
  
"Do you want to help him?" He softly asked, his voice was alluring, almost inviting the boy into disobeying his father. A half-smirk formed on the corner of his lips as he eyed the younger.   
  
Nero didn't immediately reply, as if he's going to fall into such lame taunt. Dante should be able to handle this. Always been, always will. This time he should sit this one out.   
  
V casually walked around the shop, monologuing to himself in a poetic tone. Nero didn't pay attention to what exactly he was saying until he heard V mentioning he knows where his family is going and would catch up with them. Nero spares him another glance. He's too frail to be true, him going there will be equal to nothing but a dumb suicide. Nero wanted to assist this complete strange he just met less than half an hour ago, yet well realized by doing so, means he'll go against Dante's wish;  _again_. Hey, at least he has a reason: couldn't turn down a sick guy's wish. It will leave a bitter taste if the client accidentally dies somewhere because he refused to help him. Which leave them to one problem: How fast can someone like V walk? At this pace, Dante and the others will be long done with their mission before they could even arrive.   
  
"Ayy Nero!! Dinner time!" Nico barged in, practically kicked the door open. "Here's your girl's cooking! Better thanks me for bringing themー" She paused at the sight of a strange, sickly-looking guy who she almost sent flying with the door. Nero's on the couch but Dante's nowhere to be seen; that man would never leave the wounded boy alone unless there's something extremely urgent. "Yo?! Yo yo yo! What did I miss!??"  
  
"Great timing, Nico!" Nero stood up, "We need your help!"   
  
She rested her hands on the waist and grinned in both confidence and excitement. "And help is what you'll get!"  
  
With V as their guide, Nico drove them both toward the base of the demonic tree which has made itself known to the public in Redgrave city. A city next to theirs. Closer than Nero had thought. Crowds starting to gather around the colossal tree. Nero and V will have to approach the scene on foot since the van won't be able to go through the crowd with ease. They will waste too much of their precious time if they're too lazy to walk, thus leaving Nico behind with the vehicle.  
  
V lead him along the way, showed him an opening gap where they could squish themselves in. The demonic tree was mostly hollow in the middle. And it reeked heavy of blood. The man also guides him all the way toward a large double door which will lead to the throne chamber where the said demon rests. Nero paced around just outside the said door. From the small gap on the rugged wall which separates him with the other Devil May Cry crew, of a large, humanoid demon sitting on the lone throne in the middle of the chamber. Has multiple eyes, and tough, roots-like appendages layered his body, some stretching over the throne and to the ground. He watched at how Dante deflected the attack from the demon.   
  
"What am I doing wasting my time here? He got this..." Nero scoffed. Part of him wanted to turn back, that he shouldn't defy Dante's wish and feeling any more than this. Dare not to imagine how long they would nag and scold at him if they ever find out he has deliberately disobeyed Dante.   
  
"You should not underestimate Urizen," V commented, giving the youngster a glance from the corner of his eyes. "After all, it was he who took your right arm..." A pause as he looked down at Nero's now non-existing arm, "...and gained a great deal of power from it."   
  
Nero didn't respond back. Not actually keen of being reminded of how he has lost an arm. Yet, V's comment about how that demon, Urizen, was practically invincible didn't sit well with him, for he too was worried about Dante and the others.   
  
"You are right... I've got a score to settle with that son of aー" His sentence was cut short when both heard a loud crash from across the wall. Dante has succumbed to the ground. "ー _Dante!!_ " Nero yelled and instantly barged into the chamber without having a second thought. Not only was Dante groaned in pain, both Lady and Trish also laid defeated on the ground.   
  
"N... Nero!!?" Dante grunted under his breath, horrified to see the youngster.   
  
"Well, looks like this won't be a total waste of time after all." Nero fearlessly exclaimed, positioned himself between the downed Dante and the large demon. "Hey, jackass! Didn't your mother ever teach you it's not nice to steal?" He snarled and gestured toward his right shoulder. Urizen merely stares down at him, unfazed nor responsive toward the youngster's taunt.   
  
"Sorry, Dante!" He growled, ignoring the older's concern about his safety. Hand went to grab onto Red Queen's hilt and revved the weapon up. "I'm bagging this bitch!"   
  
Just like being kicked off his high horse, Nero's attempt to strike Urizen was but a futile. Forgetting about trying to land a single hit toward the large demon, he barely able to break through the barrier cast by the red, floating crystal which constantly protects Urizen, effectively render Nero's attack completely useless. With a swipe from Urizen's root-appendage, he flung Nero crashing to the wall and collapsed to the ground in heap. Groaning and twisting in pain, struggling to return to his feet. V who stays in the safety on the sideline could only watch in horror at how Dante and Nero, the only hope he had in the attempt to defeat Urizen, were grounded in defeat.   
  
Dante immediately drew his twin handguns and shot at the demon's head. The bullets merely bounced off the face but successfully redirects Urizen's attention away from Nero; to him. "Round two!"   
  
Nero turned to look at him with a terror-stricken face. It was obvious Dante was at his limit. Those legs were barely able to support his own weight and he's having a hard time trying to catch up with his own breathing. Dante Devil-Triggered, a form which he rarely took unless he's in for the worst. With a strong kick and a flap on his wings to boost his speed further, Dante charged forward with his prized Rebellion in hand. Similar with Nero's attempt before him, an invisible barrier blocked Dante in his charge. Not even Rebellion capable of scratching the barrier's surface. Knowing his attack won't do good nor any harm toward his opponent, Dante quickly glanced back through his shoulder; both V and Nero were still there, petrified at the realization of how powerful the demon was.   
  
"V, get Nero out of here!!" He shouted at V, hoping the man, as weak as he was, would drag Nero away to safety.  
  
"Iー I can still fight!!" Nero protested, refused to turn tail and run or to leave Dante and the girls behind.  
  
Dante knows the boy well enough, he has anticipated Nero will respond as such. Still, he can't risk having Nero injured or killed in this. He has to do something, anything for Nero, even it will cost his life... or worse, having to bore the hatred from Nero toward him. But it was a risk ー and consequence ー he's willing to take as long as the kid's safe and sound. Gnashed his teeth and without actually turn around to look at Nero, not that he could take the risk in taking his eyes off an enemy with such strength, he barked at him.  
  
"Nero, go!! You're just dead weight!"   
  
After being called a dead weight not once but twice, even without looking back, Dante swears he heard Nero's heart shattered into pieces. It pained him greatly. If anything, Nero is his treasure, his pride, the very reason why he could move on in life. He wanted to apologize so badly. But now was not the time nor the luxury he could afford. He would rather live ー or die ー knowing Nero hates him as long as the boy's alive.   
  
V pulled at Nero's arm in an attempt to drag him out as Dante has wished. The only door through and out of the chamber was collapsing from the damage during their fight against Urizen. Have to move fast before they all were completely trapped.   
  
"Back off!!" Nero snarled and tried to push V aside, refused to retreat.   
  
"Come on!" V yelled, using the little strength he has to pull Nero away and through the door. "We must leave here at once! He's far stronger than we ever could have imagined!"   
  
_"DANTE!!"_ Nero struggled but to no avail. He has been injured and exhausted after that one fight with Urizen earlier, even a frail man's grip was too much for him. "I didn't come all this way for nothing!!" He howled in agony, stretching his left arm out at the door which was quickly obstructed by falling debris, blocking both their path and view into the chamber. The youngster was both enraged and devastated. Blaming himself for his powerlessness. His whole family was still in there, injured and trapped in the chamber with Urizen, and he could do nothing against it.   
  
V shoved him against the wall, holding him in place with his cane and preventing him from thrashing further. Nero looked pathetic and in the brink of crying if V has to say.   
  
"Stop hitting yourself and think of ways to get stronger and actually help!" V exclaimed although Nero couldn't look at him in the eyes. "If Dante loses... you are all left that can defeat Urizen!"   
  
His word hit Nero hard with a pang. Dante, loses? There's no way someone like Dante would ever lose to some grotesque-looking demon!   
  
V studies the youngster. The boy didn't willing to retreat. Certain if left be, Nero would try to climb himself into the chamber once again. V shut his eyes for a moment and breathed out a soft sight. He snapped his fingers then, which also earned himself a quick glimpse from Nero at the sound of fingers snapping. Nero's eyes blinked wide as he watched how those black hair turned silvery-white. The same color as his and Dante's hair. A large familiar, whom V called as Nightmare, appears before them and immediately went to grab at Nero with its large hand.   
  
"What theー!??"   
  
V climbed and stood at Nightmare's shoulder blade, grabbing on the gigantic familiar. A tap on its shoulder and Nightmare broke through the tough, exterior wall of the colossal demonic tree and jumped down with Nero still being held in its grip. The sheer weight from the familiar cracked the asphalt road as it landed. The crowds gasped at the sight and moved further away from them. The giant let go of Nero once they were safe and sound on the ground. Nero dropped to his knees while V jumped off Nightmare's back and allowing the familiar returned to the soil and disappears.   
  
"What... what happened to Dante?" Among the crowds was Morrison, and at the sight of Nero and V, he immediately approached them. Nero's gaze went to the ground, unable to answer the older man, didn't want to be the bearer of bad news to one of Dante's closest acquaintance. "Where's Dante?!" The broker asked again. From Nero's expression alone, he instantly knew something must have gone wrong and seeing they returned without Dante and the girls pushed his fear further.  
  
"He's... buying time, but..." V answered in Nero's stead. "it doesn't look good."   
  
At that, large stinger-tipped roots appear on the ground and mercilessly attack and impaled the crowds; their blood sucked dry until the very last drop. The crowds screamed in panic, shoving and stampeding the others to save themselves and get away from the roots.   
  
"This can't be happening..." Morrison took a few steps back in shock and horror, "...Dante lost!?"   
  
His words made Nero winched. The youngster clenched his fist and whirled around, V was quick to halt him, however, blocking his path and preventing him from diving head-first into yet another reckless stun.    
  
"Forget it, there's nothing we can do!!"   
  
Nero adhered to V's warning, however, those inaudible scoffs and grumbles show he was anything but okay, both physically and mentally. Aside of worrying about Dante and the other's safety, his urge was strong in wanting to save those innocent people fell by the demonic tree, yet couldn't deny he was indeed not in a condition to fight.   
  
"We must go..." V said again, his tone softer this time.   
  
Nero shoved V aside once again and bumped onto Morrison as he furiously stomped away from the scene, moving along the fleeing crowds. Dante's alive! He simply knows it and refuses to believe otherwise. He swears to himself he would return, stronger than ever, to save his family. That bastard Urizen will pay for what he did and he'll personally make sure the demon's due was met when the time comes...  

 

* * *

  
Another month went by. With lots of experimenting and trials and errors, Nico managed to whip out a set of a prosthetic arm which she dubbed as Devil Breaker for Nero. It functions almost like Nero's lost arm. Convenient for everyday use and enable him to snatch something (or demons) at a certain distance. The downside was it could easily break when Nero's handling went rough and Nico has to keep more than just a few spares ready for him, complete with lots of nagging from her when Nero destroyed the Breaker, either deliberately or accidentally.  
  
One early morning, Nico drove Nero through the now deserted Redgrave city. The whole city and its surrounding areas have ceased to function. Buildings and streets were infested with lesser demons. Won't stop the duo from charging forward, however. Nico wildly runs their van through those demons while Nero shoots at them from the passenger's seat with Blue Rose. So far, so good. From the van's opened window, Nero looked up at the colossal tree stretching itself far up into the dark sky above. He firmly squished at his right shoulder as if could feel his non-existing arm twitches in phantom pain.  
  
"Yamato did this..." He grumbled, clutching at the muscle and flesh of what remains of his right upper arm.   
  
Nico lighted up her cigarette and spares him a glance but says no further. Slightly amazed at how calm he was despite all the tantrum he threw last month. Should thank Kyrie for that. Ever since he returned, defeated and pathetic as an abused, disowned puppy drenched in rain, the girl has been always by his side. Helping him in getting through those difficult moments and constantly encourage him that Dante and the others are okay. Nico huffed out the smoke of her cigarette through the nose and quietly drove Nero all the way until the road was no more.   
  
"That's it! No more wheels from here."   
  
"Guess I'm walking then," Nero huffed and exited the van. "V should be waiting for us up ahead..."   
  
Nico told him she will find another way to meet with them and waved him goodbye from behind the driver's wheel. Nero also waved at her without glancing back and proceed through the shopping district, took a shortcut through a worn-down high-end hotel, passed the office areas, obviously while slaying those lesser demons along the way before exiting at the city square. He glanced around. If his memory served him right, this should be the place where V would wait for him.   
_  
"I curse my stars in bitter grief and woe..."  
  
_

Nero turned his head toward the direction where the familiar sound came. That was V's voice. V and his poet or whatever. He pressed forward. At the lower level of the plaza, a broken fountain displayed in the middle and to the side of it, he spotted V... standing in front of a large, demonic beast while reading at a page of his book to the heavily injured greater demon as it laid on the ground, panting and bleeding. Two more familiars he has never seen before heeled by the man's side. One was a hawk with dark blue plumage and the other was a black panther.   
  
_"...That made my love so high and me, so low."_    
  
V closed and tuck the book away. He raised the silver cane up before forcefully jabbed the end section into the demon's forehead. The beast roared in pain. Once V pulled the cane out, the greater demon was fell and his familiar returned to his body in the form of tattoos.   
  
Nero warily approached the man. Amazed. Did his familiars took the beast down and V gave the finishing blow? If no witness presents, no one would believe someone this frail slays a demon of that size. On the bright side, he found the man he's looking for.   
  
"V..." He quietly calls for the man, "What the hell are you?" V glanced back through the shoulder and greeted him with his trademark smirk. Not getting the answer he's looking for, Nero crossed his arms. "At least I don't have to pick you out of those ugly teeth." he mused with a hint of sarcasm. The man simply scoffed a chuckle.   
  
Both looked up at the demonic tree.   
  
"You think Dante's still in there?" Nero reluctantly asked. V spares him a side glance.   
  
"If Urizen defeated him, then I expect he's not much more than Qliphoth pollen by now."   
  
"A what?" As much as Nero dispises those who easily cast Dante and the others as dead, there's so much he doesn't know about this whole phenomenon and V was literally the only person who could provide him the answer he needs... but often not what he wants to hear.   
  
"Qliphoth," He calmly explained. "It's a tree that grows in the Underworld. Thrives on human blood and those whose blood it sucks, well..." He pointed his cane toward a humanoid empty husk nearby. "...Let's just say they don't turn out too well."   
  
A large honking sound alerted them. Both spun around, a van made its grand entrance to the square as it rammed through the debris and other abandoned cars. V took a side step and the large vehicles skidded to stop near the duo ー still considered too close when it comes to safety for the bystanders. Nico poked herself out from the driver seat's window.    
  
"I know, I know, I'm late. Shut it!!" Nico proclaimed even though neither Nero or V said anything, or going to. "The roads were all cloggedー" Her eyes widened at what laid near V's feet. "Yey, you gonna get that!?? Right by your feet!" She pointed at what seems to be the broken tip of a horn from the greater demon V slain. The man huffed a weak sigh. With a light swing from his cane, V flung the broken tip toward Nico who caught it with her bare hands. She immediately pulled the broken horn close to her face and smelled it.   
  
"Did you just sniff that?" Nero frowned at her. "Do you have any idea where that's been?"   
  
Nico looked at him with an arched eyebrow and shrugged, "Up your butt?"   
  
Nero opened his mouth but shut them back. It's not a good time to argue with her. "Just, focus on the mission!" He said and climbed into the van. A quick break won't do them harm and he also believes V needed the rest.   
  
"I think we should split into two groups," V suggested from his seat behind Nero's.   
  
Nero nodded in agreement from the front passenger seat. "And cover more ground, good idea!"  
  
Nico was at the end section of the van, checking Nero's Breaker, making sure everything's fine before the youngster off to ー in her opinion ー a grand mission of saving the world once again. Despite her hands busy working, a cigarette was clamped between her lips and she exhaled a cloud of smoke out her nostril. V frowned. Too much smoke has filled the vehicle; too hard to breathe and stings his eyes.   
  
"...I'll take my leave now," He said while holding his breath, annoyingly waved the smoke off with his hand. "I'll see you at the bottom of the Qliphoth." V exited the van without wasting another second. Nero merely nodded toward the back of the frail man. Once Nico's done with the checkup, they would soon follow suit.   
  
The pair eventually reached an abandoned concert dome. V has yet to arrived and both momentarily leave the van. Nico's going to look for a way to get their van through the area while Nero padded into the dome. The roofs were caved in and most of the furniture circling the middle stage has long become dust-covered junks. In the middle of those, a large, mermaid-like demon with 3 sets of wings  _swam_  around in the air, singing with an angelic voice which echoed against the wall. Her iridescent scales sparkle beautifully under the sun's light.   
  
At Nero's sudden appearance, the she-demon hissed, shooting an energy laser from the orbs on her wings toward her intruder. Nero jumped, scaled the wall to reach the mezzanine section of the hall and leaped at the demon. She flaps her wings and pushed herself backward but the tip of Red Queen managed to slashed and cut open her neck section before he rolled and landed back down to the first floor.   
  
She screeched and Nero squinted hard at the open wound, couldn't believe his eyes - a familiar female face was hidden behind those demonic scales. That's Lady no matter how one look at it, unconsciously trapped inside the demon's body. Nero jumped again, not wasting any seconds now the she-demon was wailing in pain. He slashed her chest and torso open, freeing Lady from the prison of flesh. Nero caught the free-falling Lady in his arms but quickly turned his face away he realizes she was fully naked. Light blushes painted his face.   
  
"I can't believe you'd do this to Kyrie, I'm gonna have to tell her!!" Nico who returned from her quest, boldly exclaimed as she approaches them. Her loud voice echoed against the wall. Nero's expression paled and Nico snorted a chuckle at how his expression clearly shows he believes Kyrie would kill him. "I'm jokin'!"   
  
Nero carrying the unconscious Lady to the van was nothing but awkward for the young adult. He's determined to not look at her, and it's hard to get through those pile of rubbles without tripping when you were carrying an unconscious person while your eyes have to be directed to nowhere but up so he won't accidentally look at her body. Swears and grunted in pain when he accidentally bumped his boot onto a hunk of hard concrete. Nico on the other hand, enjoy looking at how the young man struggling, giggling at him from the van's window.   
  
"Well, she ain't dead," Nico said after examining and covering her with a blanket. "Got a pretty smokin' body though."   
  
Nero rolled his eyes from the front passenger's seat, back straight and face forward, like a student being sent to the corner by the teacher. He knew Nico said that just to tease him further, although he was relieved Lady was okay. That's what matters.   
  
According to Nico, there was no way where the van can travels through nearby. Nero will have to opt to cover the remaining area with his own legs. They were close to the tree after all. He merely nodded, suggesting that they should probably wait for V. And hope Lady will awake soon. He has so many questions for her, he has to learn what happened to the rest of his family. He has to or this anxiety will eat him alive from the inside, although he did ponder over whether he was ready for the worst.   
  
"Yo, Lady's awake!!"   
  
Nero reluctantly glanced back at Nico's voice. Lady has regained her consciousness in just a short couple of hours since being rescued; amazed at how tough she was. She groaned and pulled the blanket to cover herself properly, allowing Nero to moved toward the back seats and sits across Lady.   
  
"So what happened to Dante? And Trish?" He impatiently asked. "They... end up like you?"   
  
"Trish, she... she was captured, I remember that," Lady weakly replied then pressed her lips together. She shook her head and sighed, "But I don't know what happened to Dante..."   
  
A pained expression crossed his face, clenching his fists together. "Dammit..." Nero softly snarled under his breath. Lady's expression was saddened to watch the boy in such agony.   
  
A sudden knock from the van's door, and entered V. They all look up at the skinny man and he raised an eyebrow at them. "You can't travel through here in a car." He said.   
  
"Yeah, we know... We're just waiting on you." Nero replied. "Hang on, I'll get ready." Nero moved toward the back of the van where Nico keeps those spare Breakers. The man in black stepped out of the van once again. Nero returned with Red Queen strapped on his back, more than ready to tag along with V.   
  
"...Can we trust him?" Lady suddenly asked, stopping Nero in his track before he leaves the van.   
  
The youngster glanced at her. He understands what Lady's trying to convey. That guy was the one who brought this 'job' to them. A part of her was wary of V, believing that this was yet another trap. Merely a gut's feeling. But now with Dante's whereabouts was highly questionable, she's worried about Nero's safety.  
  
"Your guess is as good as mine..." Nero merely shrugged. "Enough talking, get some rest. You need it." He said and hopped down from the van and heels closely behind V.   
  
Nero teaming up with V was something one would not see often, or ever. The pair surprisingly work well as a team despite the opposite contrast between their fighting style. Even more compatible than Dante, considering the veteran hunter tend to worry about him more than focusing on working together. While Nero tends to fearlessly (or recklessly) charged forward to his enemies, V always stood on the safer side, allowing his familiars to do their job or backed Nero up, and only land the finishing blow when needed. Nero couldn't help but to constantly keep V in sight. Partially because of Lady's warning, and because he was intrigued to learn more about this skinny guy who commands those demon familiars with ease. He's no ordinary human for sure.  
  
They went through the underground subway, treck through the underground tunnels until they reemerged at a much large terminal compares to the previous station. There was another thing Nero aware of from watching him ー V shows a higher hostility over a group of humanoid, armor-clad demon soldiers; momentarily lost his usual calm demeanor at that sight of those demons. He wondered why and of course, the man never gave him the answer.   
  
"Took us long enough to get here." Nero scoffed a complaint once both arrived at the furthest outskirt of the Redgrave city. He stares up at the colossal tree and marched forward until he realized V was lagging behind. "What, tired already?"  
  
"I..." V scanned the surrounding around. "...I've just remembered something..." He said, moving away from Nero. "This place was attacked once before."   
  
"Is that so?" Nero turned to look at him. Confusion painted his face.   
  
"I was here... I can still see it." He continues. Those skinny legs walked V toward an abandoned rocking toy horse. Gently laid his hand on the toy now rusty and worn out by the everflowing time, he let out a soft yet bitter chuckle. "In fact, I was playing right here." `  
  
Nero slightly furrowed. He admits he was curious about V, but he had not expected the man to start talking about his childhood's life out of the blue and at the time like this, when they were oh so close to that godforsaken tree. He listens to him nonetheless and V raises his cane, pointed it toward a small mansion not too far from where they stood. "That was the house." Nero squinted at the half-collapsed building.   
  
"This is where we part ways. You go ahead." He moved even further away from Nero. The latter turned to face him.   
  
"You're gonna miss all the fun."   
  
V glanced at him. Whether the youngster was being sarcastic with him or not, a smirk crossed his face. "I must seek out the devil sword Sparda."   
   
"How can you...?" At the mention of the sword's name, Nero turned to look at him again. How could he know the name of one of Dante's priced sword?   
  
"To win this fight, we're going to need all the help we can get." V strolled by him and pat at his shoulder once.   
  
Nero clicked his tongue. V sure knows how to dodge questions. His shoulders dropped and Nero breathed out a sigh and continue marching forward. "Guess there's no point thinking about it..." He took a quick pause by the base of Qliphoth and clenched his fists as he stares up the colossal demonic tree. "Well, no point in turning back now..." He grumbled, forced himself into the gap between the trunk. Once inside, he scans at the same eerie scenery and surrounding he saw last month. But this time, he's determined to take Urizen down and rescue Dante. Time for some payback.  
  
  
"Hey douchebag, miss me?" was the first thing Nero hurled at the demon who sits on his high throne with a lazy posture. His body tilted to the left and his head rested on his hand. Unamusedly stares down at Nero.   
  
"You come here to die?" Urizen asked back.   
  
Nero snarled at him, pulling Red Queen out and revved the sword up. "Where's Dante?"   
  
"You will suffer..." Urizen raised a hand. "And dieー"   
  
Before the demon was able to finish his sentence, Nero sprung at him and cut a slashing wound at Urizen's palm. Both the attacker and the wounded were startled. It happened so suddenly, Urizen didn't have the chance to whip his barrier up, while Nero on the other hand, had not expected to be able to injure the large demon  _that_  easily. Large hand swats at Nero and sent him crashing to the ground once again.   
  
"Weak mortal, I am power, absolute!" Urizen said, staring at the closing wound on his palm with his multiple eyes. "Demon power does not course through your veins. Yet, you try..." He straightened his back up and rose from his throne. "How dare you strike  _ME!?_ "   
  
"The hell...!?" For someone who proclaimed himself a demon king, he sure whined like a 5-years-old. It might be an achievement for Nero but for Urizen, it was merely one weak slash which also heals as fast. Yet, the latter was furious and stomped forward.   
  
Nero took a step back at the size of the slowly approaching demon. Thick severed roots with spiked-tips drape down from his shoulders like a cloak. He was already huge when sitting on that throne, and his height was much greater now he stood strong on his two feet.   
  
"You will regret being born useless and human." It took Urizen only a couple of steps to shorten his distance and overshadowed Nero. "I will show you your worst nightmares!"   
  
Well, he sure loves to talk and an equally big mouth to matches.   
  
"I will give youー" Urizen stares down at the youngster. "ーDespair and death!"   
  
The large demon swat at him once again, easily sent Nero tumbling against the ground. He had braced himself for that attack, yet it only needs one swing from Urizen to sends him sprawling to the ground. Nero panted, coughing up blood and covered in bruises. One of the roots stretched forward and binds Nero down, strongly tighten the grip to crush that human body. Nero struggles but couldn't break free.   
  
"Merely human, petulant mortal flesh," Urizen and his blabbering mouth again. "Cursed, the moment you were brought into this world."   
  
Nero yelled in pain and agony, his scream probably echoed throughout the Qliphoth. His bones could be crushed to dust at any seconds and he has no mean to break free nor to fight back. Is that it? He will be killed like this? He waited for one full month for this. He was certain he's stronger than he was last month. Valiantly here to save Dante, and all Urizen need was one angry slap and he's as good as defeated.   
  
A flash of red light shoot through the sky like a shooting star and slashed down at the roots binding Nero captive. The roots instantly severed and Nero toppled down to the ground and desperately gasped for air once free from the crushing grip.   
  
Both Nero and Urizen looked up at the intruder.   
  
"A demon...?!" Nero weakly grumbled.   
  
Hovering in midair between the downed Nero and Urizen was indeed a demon. Its body covered with diamond-hard, dark scales and spikes, accented with a flaming and strongly-built body for raw power. Two sets of magnificent horns grew on its head. Two pointed upward and another two smaller one arched forward flanking its jaws. It also has two sets of strong wings to support and carry his bulky body in flight.   
  
"Who dares interfere?" Urizen hissed. "What creature stands against a king!?"   
  
"It can't be...!?" Nero wheezed. The look and size were completely different, but it gave off a very familiar vibe he perfectly recognizes ー Dante's. His expression eased and he couldn't help formed a smile of relief on his face. "I knew you couldn't be killed that easily..." Feeling a burden has been lifted from his mind, Nero passed out soon after. V's familiar, Griffon, approached the unconscious boy and dragged him out from the throne chamber.  
  
"Win, Dante, win!!" Griffon yelled.   
  
Dante spares a quick glance through the shoulder, and once he's sure they were at a safe distance away, he returned his glare toward Urizen. The firey demon exhaled through its mouth, releasing hot steams from his throat due to how his body was burning; burning in rage. He will pay for what he did to Nero! 

 

* * *

  
After being taken to safety by Griffon to the base of the Qliphoth, Nero regains his consciousness shortly after and could only patiently wait for Dante to return by the van alongside Nico, Lady, as well as Trish and V. Trish informed the boy Dante saved her while on the way to save  _him_. Nero flinched. It's true he has disobeyed them, but he really,  _really_  wanted to help them, yet Nero didn't argue back. No guys in the family dare to argue with her, not even Dante. Especially not Dante. Tuck his head low was the best Nero could when Trish confronted him.   
  
Her expression softened. She, like the rest, understand Nero's good intention. She gently patted his head; a silent gesture she forgave him. "Just don't be  _this_ reckless next time." Nero shyly nodded in obedience.    
  
A fiery demon landed near the van and Nero straightened up to his feet. It's Dante! The demon huffed, de-Triggered himself, and immediately marched toward V. No one was sure whether he deliberately ignores Nero, or he's simply too blinded by rage he didn't even realize the boy was there.   
  
"Where did that garbage god go?" He impatiently demanded. Judging from the question, Urizen must have made his escape. They could only stand on the side for not everyone has the guts to cross Dante's path when his temper was over the roof.   
  
"He's at the top of the Qliphoth." V calmly replied. Dante cranked his neck up to look at the towering demonic tree.  
  
Being one of those few who wasn't afraid to talk back at Dante. Trish lightly shook her head and voiced up. "It's the other way around, Dante. This is the lowest level of the Qliphoth's upper echelon." The veteran hunter glanced at her. She continues, "Human blood is the source of demons' power. The fruit born through the Qliphoth is even denser than the blood that created it. Its power is unparalleled. Even the almighty Mundus used it to become the king of the underworld..." A pause as she directs her gaze toward V. Dante's own follow hers. "V told me _everything_."   
  
Despite the mention of Mundus' name, or the hint of V knowing too much about the underworld despite said to be a mere human, Dante was indifferent. Now that he knows where to find Urizen, nothing matters.   
  
"...Dante!" Nero gathered his courage and called for him.  
  
The youngster's voice stopped Dante in his steps. The older glanced back but was equally quick to turn away from the boy. Not only he was still angry at Nero for disobeying him, Dante was also ashamed of himself of what he had said to Nero.   
  
"I'm going too!" Nero demanded, marched toward Dante.   
  
This time, Dante turned his whole body to face the youngster. An inaudible snarl almost escaped his throat and Nero stopped in his track. Realizing his own temper, Dante himself pulled back. He shouldn't treat the boy like this. It wasn't fair for Nero. His gaze went south and landed on Nero's prosthesis arm. As much as Dante was glad about the man-made arm, that Nero could still go and about in life without any hindrance, it also served as a hard, bitter reminder that the boy's arm was no more. He shut his eyes and took in a deep breath.   
  
"Why don't you sit this one out?" He softly asked.   
  
"Oh, let you call me dead weight again? No thanks!"   
  
Those words stab Dante harder than any swords that had ever impaled or jabbed at him. His expression furrowed, saddened. "You don't understand, It's not what I meanー"   
  
Nero interjected him with a scoff and threw his face to the side. Tired of Dante treating him like a baby. Now that they were out here, he won't let Dante go all by himself ever again, no matter what Dante says.   
  
"Let him go, Dante." At V's voice, both turned to look at the frail man struggling to even stand straight. "Time is a luxury that we can no longer afford." V slowly approached them, "We must chase after them, post-haste."   
  
"What? You're going too?" Nero worryingly asked. Was it just them? Or V seems weaker and weaker with every passing hour? It almost looks like one only needs a single finger poke and the man will crumble to dust.   
  
"I have a duty to see this through."  
  
Dante sighed and rolled his eyes. Well, if they want to tag along, fine. All he has to do was to slay Urizen before any of them arrived. He turned his back away from them and immediately jumped down the ledge, leaving them behind.   
  
Nero and V exchange a look. The former was worried about the latter, and Nero knows Dante knew that too, hence he instantly pressed forward. V will slow Nero down whether he liked it or not. And not even halfway down through the tree, Dante's prediction was more than just true. Nero has to save him more than just once, twice, or thrice; almost has to glance back every minute only to make sure V was trailing closely and didn't suddenly drop dead.   
  
"You should turn around," Nero suggested, eyeing the man from head to toes. Not only he's unable to stand straight, V barely able to stand on his own feet now. He's having a hard time breathing and the body's condition was getting worser with every passing second. "Your body's not gonna last much longer."  
  
"That, I cannot do. I must go!" V was equally adamant.   
  
"Don't push yourself. You need some rest!"   
  
"I must go... to where Urizen is."   
  
"Why!? Why the hell do you have toー"   
  
"I beg you!" V pleaded.   
  
Nero pressed his lips together. So this must what Dante feels like when Nero acts stubbornly against him. Except he acted and said worse against Dante...   
  
"This is my last request."   
  
At that, Nero groaned loudly, "Fine!" He slung V's arm against his shoulders, supporting the man's weight and helping him balanced himself with his own footing.   
  
"The truth is... I wanted to be protected and loved..." V suddenly spoke up again. "But I was alone. My only choice was to survive."   
  
Nero raised an eyebrow at him. V and his nostalgia speech about his childhood life again. "You gotta rest!" He shushed him. They were already lagging behind Dante by lots of margins, now wasn't really the time for some tear-jerking stories.   
  
"I will tell you everything..." V continues, ignoring Nero. "There's no demon named Urizenー" The youngster stopped and stares at him with a confused and skeptical look. "ーOnly a man who threw away his humanity in an endless pursuit of power." A long pause from V. "He is Dante's older brother..."  
  
"Dante's... brother?" Nero asked back. Now everything started to piece together at the back of his mind. He remembers Dante mentioning Yamato once belonged to his brother. His long deceased brother, or so they had thought. Did he snatch his arm away because Yamato was kept in his demonic arm? To claimed what was rightfully his?   
  
"Yes," a nod from V. "And his real name is..." Another pause as he looked at Nero in the eyes. "...Vergil."  

  


End file.
